Beam me up Goku?
by Sanne-chan
Summary: Two alien sisters living on the U.S.S Voyager, decide to take the Delta Flyer for a spin. Unfortunately, they end up in the DBZ dimension where a certain bio android is more than eager to make first contact... R&R please!
1. Houston, we have a problem

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or ST or any TV series. I do own Susan and Lara though :) Urania is a planet made up by me, but I did get the name from Urania, a Greek muse of space and astronomy. I don't own her either.

Two strange girls living on the Star Ship Voyager decide to take the Delta Flyer for a little spin. Their having the time of their lives, but you know what they say: "its all fun and games until SOMEONE ends up steering the ship into an interdimensional rift, ending up in DBZ-world and getting attacked by an android!"

Okay, maybe it isn't really a saying, but you get the idea ;)

By the way, I live in Holland, my English might be a bit messed up sometimes (if you see any errors, please tell me, it would be very helpfull) and this is also my very first fan-fic EVER so please, please, please don't kill me! -falls on her knees and begs-

**VERY Important: **the writing in this chapter is mostly _italic_, so it would be easier to tell the difference between the "narrator" and Susan and Lara's catfigh...uhm...conversation. If you find this annoying, don't worry: the text will be normal in the next chapters.

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Chapter 1: Houston, we have a problem

"_Great, even the lights went dead…HEY! G-g-get of me!"_

"_You get of me!"_

"_No you… OWW! OWW! OWW! You're standing on my hair!"_

"_GET YOUR FOOT OUT OF MY NOSE!"_

A small ship had just crashed into the surface of a little planet called Earth. The hull (and almost everything else) was badly damaged, but if you looked closely, your could still read its name: the Delta Flyer.

"_Where are we?"_

"_How am I supposed to know? YOU'RE the one that wanted to see that weird nebula and steered us into that rift!"_

"_Well if YOU didn't distract me swooning over a certain ex-drone…"_

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"_

"_You know what I mean! Lara and Icheb, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I…"_

"_HEY! KNOCK IT OFF!"_

"_MAKE ME!"_

Trapped inside because the doors were jammed, were two girls: Susan and Lara. The oldest of the two squabbling aliens was Susan, who looked almost human except for her long, navy blue hair. Lara looked a lot different from her older sister. She also could pass for a human (sort of) but her hair was much shorter and almost fluorescent pink. Their eyes were the same color as their hair, only lighter, a common trait amongst their kind.

"_Alright, enough with the fighting already!"_

"_Why?"_

"_BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES LEFT BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF OXYGEN!"_

"_You're just saying that because I was about to kick your BUTT!"_

"_HA! YOU WISH!"_

They were Uranians. A very weak species (the average Uranian only possessed about two times the strength of a human) but their psychic abilities were a force to be reckoned with. It gave them the ability to transfer their thoughts and memories to other peoples minds (they couldn't read minds though), and sense emotions. Another thing the Uranians were good at, was flying, and the legendary speed of an Uranian was also something that proved to be a great advantage in escaping The Doctor and his Hyposprays of Doom. Susan and Lara had joined the U.S.S Voyager crew a few months ago and enjoyed practicing their skills on the holodeck every now and then.

"_Ah__…__ hold on Lara, the door is finally starting to give"_

"_WOOHOO! FRESH AIR! We should…O no! Look at the Flyer!"_

"_Its wrecked!"_

"_Captain Janeway is gonna kill us…."_

"_Don't be so.."_

"_EEEEEEEEEEEEK! O NO! O NO! O NO! WHATDOWEDONOWWEARESOSCREWEDNOWWENEVERGETTOGOTO…"_

The hysteric Uranian got slapped in the face by her older sister, who was quite attached to her hearing.

"_CALM DOWN YOU MORON!"_

"_Thanks… I needed that...'_

"_Aright, here's the plan: you stay here and try to repair as much damage as you can, in the mean time I'll try to find out where we are. According to my tricorder, there's a city nearby, maybe the people living there can help us."_

"_I'm not an engineer! I'm still studying!"_

"_Well until I find some help, IF I CAN find some help that is, you'll have to do. At least try to get communications back on-line.__"_

"_Sorry, those were destroyed just before we went into that rift, remember? If they weren't beyond repair then, than they sure are now!"_

"_Of all the… alright, just get this thing flying again! We don't know who or what lives here so I want to be able to leave if we need to."_

"_Slave driver…"_

"_I HEARD THAT!"

* * *

_

A/N Well, how did you like that one, huh? I know this chappie is mostly Star Trek orientated but trust me, the Z warriors will show up eventually, I'm just building up the suspence -evil grin-

And now for the dramatic part:

Susan and Lara really did it this time… Not only have they destroyed the Delta Flyer (Lara: "we just wanted to borrow it…" Susan: "which was YOUR idea, if I remember correctly" "That is SO not true!" "it SO is!" "you're dead!" "EEEEEEEEK!"), they also ended up in another dimension. The DBZ-dimension that is, and one of our squabbling heroines is about to find out… Will she find help? Will something find her? WHO TOOK MY COOKIES? Find out next time, on DRAGONBALL Z! Tadadadadadadadadaaaaa! -starts humming annoying ending tune-


	2. About androids, flying, and broken trico

_Woohoo! My first review! (sniff) I'll want to thank anyone who made this possible. My family, my friends, my cat… (cries)._

_Anyway, I was on a roll, so here's the second chapter, enjoy :)  
I would also like to add that Susan and Lara crashed into a forest, I thought some people might be confused since I wasn't very clear on that one. No trees were hurt during he making of this chapter and I don't own DBZ, Star trek, or a forest._

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Chapter 2: about androids, flying, and broken tricorders

"How strange…"

Kami was standing on the edge of his lookout, lost in thought. He knew everything and everyone on this planet, but the arrival of those strange girls was something that he had not foreseen.

"Kami?" Mr. Popo looked at his old friend

"What's wrong? Is it about the androids?"

Kami turned around to face Popo. He had a puzzled look on his face, curious but also worried.

"Strange things are happening on the Earth, Mr. Popo" he said. "We knew the androids would arrive to kill son Goku and we recently found out that something has happened to the timeline which caused the androids to be much stronger than Trunks expected."

"Don't worry Kami," Mr. Popo said, "we just have to keep our spirits high. No matter how strong the androids are, I'm sure Goku will.."

"I'm afraid its not the androids we should be worried about."

"K-Kami?"

"The past 4 years, I felt a new evil even more dangerous than the androids growing deep below the earths surface. Its power increasing everyday."

"A new evil?"

"Yes, but there is more. The creature might be unlike anything we have ever seen, but at least I did know it was here, unlike…"

"Unlike who?"

"A few hours ago, two alien girls arrived here on earth only about a mile away from where I first sensed that creature. I can sense they are not very strong, and that they don't want to fight anyone except each other but…"

"What is it?"

"I DID NOT KNOW! I didn't foresee their coming, nor did I even knew about their existence. They just… appeared out of nowhere…"

"That could only mean…"

"Yes, Mr. Popo. Lara and Susan are from another dimension, and we can only guess…. what the consequences of their arrival will be…"

* * *

_In the mean time…_

"Sorry sis, but I doesn't look like we're going anywhere soon…The only thing I managed to repair so far are the shields and life support so at least we'll have a safe place to spend the night," Lara said to her sister (who was trying to reach the city they had found with the only tricorder they managed to salvage out of the debris from the Delta Flyer) using her combadge.

"Well, not much luck here either," Susan answered, her voice sounding a bit worried

"What do you mean?"

"I think my tricorder just malfunctioned… it was detecting about 15000 life signs but as I was walking towards them…"

"Walking? Why didn't you just fly?"

"Flying? Oooooh, that's a GREAT idea sis! I'll just hover above these trees for a while so that everyone, no matter how evil and dangerous, can see me, and in the mean time, why don't you go grab a paintbrush and PAINT A BIG BULLSEYE ON MY BACK?"

"Alright! Alright! I get it already! Sjeez..."

"Anyway, after a few minutes, the life signs were suddenly reduced to only a little more than 14000.. and it just kept dropping until after a hour, there were only about 20 very faint ones left…"

"Did you let it fall out of your pocket again?"

"I DIDN'T BREAK IT!"

"Yeah, I'll bet..."

"Don't you talk to me about breaking stuff!"

"Don't yell at me like that! Its not my fault you're a klutz."

"I'M A KLUTZ? How about that time you got your hand stuck in the replicator and the Doctor had to use a phaser to.."

"Sis?"

"Yeah?"

"Please shut up…"

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What did Susan do to her tricorder ("I DIDN'T DO IT! NO ONE SAW ME DO IT! YOU CAN'T PROVE ANYTHING! " --starts to freak out-- )? Who is this strange creature Kami is talking about? Why wont "they" let me use little stars in my stories instead of those stupid -- ? Find out next time, on Dragonball Z! Tadadadadadadadadadadadaaaaaaa! --annoying ending tune-- 


	3. How would you like your eggs?

**A/N:** More Trekkies? Yay! Thanks for the reviews everyone, I really appreciate them especially since this is my first fanfic and everything :-)

**Disclaimer:** i don't own dbz, or Star Trek. I do own Lara, Susan, Urania and a REALLY BIG box of chocolates I got as an early christmas present. Yay!

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**Chapter 3: How do you like your eggs?**

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

Susan grabbed her combadge, thinking it also began to malfunction like her tricorder did. But as she was about to smash it (Uranians have very sensitive ears, and she already felt like destroying something anyway) she suddenly realized it was her sister freaking out...again.

"Lara? Lara? What's wrong? Lara!"

"OMYGODPLEASECOMEBACKSISIWANTEDTOFINDSOMEFOODANDTHISTHINGLAYBEHINDTHETREESANDITSREALLYDISTGUSTINGAND…"

Susan grabbed her ears, quite tempted to rip them off.

"Calm down! Now… take a deep breath and tell me what happened"

Lara sighed and began talking in a strange, almost monotone voice. Susan could hear that her sister had trouble keeping herself from freaking out again. But that wasn't exactly something new. She still remembered almost begging the Hirogen to kill her when they had boarded voyager a few weeks ago and one of their hunters had managed to accidentally "surprise" her sister in their quarters while she was taking a sonic shower. Susan could still hear a very high "beeping" sound in her ears when she thought of that day. Oww….

"HELLO? Are you even listening to me?"

"Huh? O, uhm… sorry I was distracted. What were you saying again?"

"(sigh) I tried to fix the replicator, but I didn't succeed so I hid the delta flyer under some branches and went out into the forest to find something to eat. Then I found some sort of open spot were a really weird machine was standing."

"A machine? Well, at least that means that the people here have some kind of technology, lets just hope it's advanced enough to…"

"I wasn't finished."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, I had no idea what is was, but inside where some strange 'eggshells' and there was some kind of…slime trail… leading away from the machine. I followed it and…"

"And what…"

"Well..." her voice began to tremble a bit, "you better come here and see it yourself.. I just …have to sit down for a moment..."

"Okay... just stay there, I'll track your combadge with my tricorder to find you."

"I thought it was defected?"

"Well it seems to be working again, even though it still can't seem to pick up all those people it detected earlier."

"Just...get over here, alright? I-I don't want to be alone."

"Me neither.. 'splitting up'… who's brilliant idea was that again?"

"Not mine!"

"Well, I know it wasn't MY idea!"

"It was too!"

"It was not!"

"WAS TOO!"

"WAS NOT!"

"WAS TOO!"

"WAS NOT!"

"IT WAS NOT"

"IT WAS TOO!"

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"

"I hate my life…"

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A/N: A very short chapter AND a cliffie! Ooooh… I'm SO evil! Don't worry, I'll post the next chapter very soon. And it will be a lot bigger with actually some Z-fighters in it! Lets just hope they find Lara and Susan before "something" finds them, even though we shouldn't worry about that. Susan and Lara are mature, calm and intellectual girls that know what they are doing. They wouldn't do something stupid like actually going to Gingertown, would they? No, of course they wou…-looks around- Lara? Susan? Were are you guys? GET BACK HERE! -slaps herself on the forehead- 


	4. The nightmare begins

No reviews for the third chapter? Was it that bad? Well, I guess I deserved it for making it so short even though I'm the Author so I can do whatever I want, mhuahahahahaha! ;-)

But, as I promised here's an extra big chapter that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, enjoy and please, please, please don't forget to review, even if you already did before, I want to know if people are still reading this :-)

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Chapter 4: the nightmare begins

"EWW!"

Susan looked at the strange almost insect like shell Lara had found and for the first time, didn't blame her sister for freaking out and acting like an idiot because she didn't exactly feel very calm herself.

"It looks a bit like that 'Targ Surprise' Neelix tried to make us eat at B'elanna's birthday," she said, with a disgusted look on her face. "Maybe it… HEY!"

Lara snatched the tricorder out of her sisters pocket and began scanning the strange object.

"Amazing…"

"What?" Susan replied, a bit pissed off.

"You are not going to believe this sis, but its human!"

"HUMAN? I've never seen any humans on Voyager that look like a huge slimy BUG before! Well… maybe captain Janeway in the morning before she gets her first three gallons of coffee, but still…"

"There's more… according to my DNA-scans, it seems to have the DNA of a lot of other species as well…"

"Some sort of hybrid?"

"Yeah… but I don't recognize these other species…weird."

Lara looked up at her sister, worried.

"Where on Urania are we?"

"Well…" Susan said grim, "I think its time fore us to go on a little 'away mission' and find out…"

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"D…E…L…T…A…F…L…Y…E…R…" 

"it looks like some kind of ship…"

"I have a really bad feeling about this"

Bulma, Gohan and Trunks were looking at the remains of the Delta Flyer Gohan had spotted when they were searching for the mysterious time machine Bulma was talking about. They wondered why it was here, and what had happened to the pilot. Maybe he or she could also explain a little bit about the mysterious second time machine.

"This metal… its unlike anything I've have ever seen before!"

Bulma was fascinated by the strange ship, and decided to take a closer look..

"Maybe I can get this door open if I just pressed this small…"

"Ehh…Bulma…" Trunks protested, "I'm just as curious as you about this thing, but we really have to find that other time machine before someone else does"

"But Trunks…" Gohan interrupted " You heard Bulma, this ship is unlike anything ever made, isn't it dangerous to just leave it here in the open like this?"

"If we don't…"

"Guys, I have a great idea!" Bulma said. "You two can go look for the time machine, while I stay here and try to find out what this thing is and to make sure it isn't dangerous"

"Bulma, are you sure that…"

"Now Trunks," she chided playfully, " you know a mother always knows what's best"

Trunks blushed and waved his mother goodbye.

"Bye mom!"

"Bye Bulma!"

"Good luck you guys!" Bulma opened the door and went inside the Flyer. "Now, lets take a look at this console here…"

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"What the…" 

"Whoa…"

Susan and Lara looked at the streets of a city called "Gingertown" that looked like it had just been hit by a meteor shower. There were deep cracks in the road, a lot of buildings were almost completely destroyed and even though the place was deserted, the two Uranians could still sense fear, anger and most of al despair everywhere. It was making them sick to their stomachs. But the strangest thing about the entire scene was…

"What are all those clothes doing here? And why do they all have holes in them?"

"Hey look at this.." Susan picked something up from the ground "I think this is some kind of primitive weapon…but it doesn't seem to have any ammo though"

"Which means that it has probably already been used against someone"

"Or something…"

They continued to walk further into the city, even though every molecule in their bodies was telling them to run. This was bad… very bad…

"What do you think happened he….HMMPFF?" Lara grabbed the newspaper that was blown into her face by the wind

"No…way…." She gasped.

"What is it?" Susan grabbed the newspaper "WHAT?"

They both looked at the paper in complete horror, their eyes big as dinner plates. They were in the Alfa quadrant, on Earth, almost 400 years into the past! But that was not all. The paper was describing people, places and events neither of them had ever heard anyone on Voyager talk about. Even the technology appeared to be different. For example, a small ad on the back of the paper described a company that made capsules that could contain anything from a car to an entire house. Those things never even existed in their own time, let alone 400 years ago! It looked like the rift they went trough with the Flyer, didn't just transport them to a different time, but also to a different dimension…

Lara was the first to say something

"Well," she said in a happy voice, with a forced smile on her face, "at least things can't get any worse, can they?"

"I really wish you hadn't said that sis.."

"Why not?"

Susan didn't respond, she just looked up

There, on the roof of what was once the biggest, most successful hotel in the entire city, stood the most horrifying creature they had ever seen. And it appeared to be very interested in them…

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A/N -sigh- I TOLD them not to go, but did they listen? Nooooooo! What will happen to them? Who is this strange creature? When will I get the respect I deserve? Find out next time, on DragonballZ! Tadadadadadadadaaaa! –stupid ending tune, lol- 


	5. Hairspray is the Future

A/N: Happy 2005 everyone! What you are now seeing before you, is an extra long chapter of the best DBZ-Voyager crossover ever! And I don't care that this is a cliffie because I'm the almighty author and I can do whatever I desire, and…O no… I'm turning into Vegeta…-lol-

Anyway, enjoy the story and don't forget to review, I really want to know if people are still reading this :-)

**IMPORTANT**

I've made some changes in the story. Not big ones, but I decided to erase all the glossary's, change the summary and a few other (minor, you don't have to read all the chapters again even though I do recommend it) things because I decided to make this a true Voyager/DBZ crossover instead of just a dbz-fic with Goku singing a Klingon drinking song every now and then -evil grin-. You don't have to know every Voyager episode, but some knowledge about the show will come in handy later on. It is also okay to don't know Voyager, but have some "standard" knowledge about Star trek (what's a replicator, who are the Borg, warpspeed and stuff…) even though the story will probably be more fun if you know Voyager and it's crew (everything in life is).

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or Star Trek (but I will…NOOOO! VEGETA ALERT! Must…fight….own….ego…

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**Chapter 5: Hairspray is the Future**

"Don't…make…any…sudden…moves…"

"Let's just hope he doesn't make any…"

Susan and Lara slowly started to back away, their eyes fixed on the strange creature that was still perched on the roof of the deserted hotel, watching their every move. The winged, almost insect like being was green with black spots and pink cat-like eyes. It's tail was menacingly swishing back and forth, but it was especially the sharp stinger at the tip, that made their blood run cold.

_beep! beep! beep!_

Lara and Susan suddenly snapped out of their shock. Lara grabbed their tricorder that was going berserk and was absolutely dumbfound by its readings

"What is it now!" Susan hissed at Lara, afraid that the noise would agitate the creature, who was emitting some very negative energy. Uranians weren't able to sense things like ki, but they could sense emotions and they were able to "feel" when a person was lying or was up to no good. And this creature was emitting some of he worst "vibes" she had ever sensed in her whole life.

"O my god…"

Susan's thoughts were interrupted by the almost silent whispering from Lara who's face had turned completely white.

"These readings… I think…that this… 'thing' is what hatched out of that shell we found…"

"But you said it had human DNA" Susan whispered back "I've never seen any humans on Voyager with tails and…wait a minute, where did he go?"

The two sisters looked at the spot the monster had been standing. It was almost like he had just vanished into thin air while they were talking. This was getting stranger by the minute!

"I think my hart just dropped out of warp…" lara said, relieved

"What was that thing?"

"Well.. whatever it was, I'm just glad it's…"

"DUCK!"

Susan suddendly pushed Lara down, forcing her to hit the ground and making her miss the small ki-blast that had been fired at her from the sky.

"HEY! What was that all abou…EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

Lara saw the creature landing on the other side of the street, it was laughing hysterically at Lara's face when she noticed him, and the scorched tree that would have been her, if it wasn't for Susan.

"Alright buddy, who are you and HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"

While Lara (who was really pissed because she just found out that the ki-beam had also scorched the tip of her hair) was franticly jumping up and down, getting in a fighting stance and yelling all sorts of things that would even make a Klingon warrior cry for his mommy, Susan had grabbed their tricorder out of her pocket and was amazed at the creature, that appeared to be able to fire energy beams without a phaser. She had heard of cybernetic life forms that had weapons build into their systems, but their tricorder hadn't detected anything like that. This guy appeared to be almost completely organic except for some small traces of technology and something that looked like a bomb of some sort. He also knew how to fly, something Susan thought only her species could do. And his speed! He was almost as fast as an Uranian! But that didn't matter. This thing had written "evil" all over it, and she wasn't planning on finding out what other surprises he had in store for them.

"… EVER MESS WITH MY HAIR AGAIN, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU…HMMMPFFF?"

"Excuse us for a moment, will you?"

Susan smiled sheepishly at the monster and grabbed her sister, covering her mouth and pulling her behind the tree (or rather, what was left of it)

"What are you doing?" Lara hissed.

"What are YOU doing!" Susan whispered back. "While you were busy making a complete idiot out of yourself, I ran a few additional tricorder scans and I also managed to run a few 'scans' of my own"

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you noticed anything unusual about that guy?"

"Besides that tail and the fact that he's a green-flying-laser-shooting-hair-ruining-FREAK!"

"Focus! Look at him and try to sense what he's up to…"

"This better be good…"

Lara carefully took a quick peek from behind the tree trying her best to sense the creature who was just standing there, waiting for them. She always had been bad at sensing people, so she usually left that part up to her sister. Maybe it was because Susan was older, even though they were only a few….

_SHOCK!_

The creature had turned its head towards her, giving her an evil glare. Lara rushed back behind the tree, her face completely white. It had only been for less that a second but she had felt it. Evil! Pure evil of the worst kind. Uh oh…

"Uh oh..."

"Maybe this will teach you to _think_ before you…"

"Hey! It's you're fault we're here, Captain Stupid!"

"Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuusssseee me for being curious! Besides that, you're the one who found that shell and…"

"Is there a problem, ladies?"

Susan and Lara grabbed each other and screamed, when the monster suddenly jumped into the air and landed right in front of the two squabbling sisters, scaring the living daylights out of them.

_In the mean time…_

"This technology is amazing!"

Bulma (with the help a helicopter and a lot of steel cables) had managed to move the damaged Delta Flyer to Capsule Corp were she just finished repairing the replicator. It looked like somebody already made an attempt to fix it, but he or she was obviously no engineering genius like herself.

"This thing could come in very handy when Goku and his friends stay for dinner again…"

"Bulma!"

She looked behind her. There, in the doorway stood Yajirobe holding baby Trunks, looking like he was about to kill himself

"Please pleas pleeeaaaaase! Make that kid stop crying, I beg you!"

"Do I have to do absolutely EVERYTHING around here? ssssshhh…. There, there Trunks…" She cooed while replicating a bottle of milk. "Why don't you go play with your grandpa in the living room, while uncle Yajirobe and I stay here and take a look at this 'transporter' thingy…"

"What do you mean 'uncle Yajirobe and..'"

"if you don't want to help, you can always take Trunks and…"

"Okay! Okay! I'll Help! Sjeez…."

_Back in Gingertown _

"EAT HAIRSPRAY YOU CREEP!" 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Before anyone knew what happened, Susan had grabbed a small can of "Strong And Shiny" out of her pocket and kept spraying into the monsters eyes until the can was empty.

"OMG I LOVE YOU SIS! I'LL NEVER LAUGH AT YOUR VANITY AGAI…"

"STOP TALKING AND RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!"

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A/N: My, my… how will our heroines get out of this one? Will they escape the mysterious monster (I you haven't figured out who it is yet, please stop reading and get help. Seriously) that has been terrorizing the city of Gingertown? Will Lara ever learn how to keep her big mouth shut? (Lara yells something Uranian the translator is unable to process), will Yajirobe survive as Bulma's guinea pig? Find out next time, at DBZ! TADADADADADAAAAA! 


	6. Horror Hotel, part I

First of all, a **very important note** for all of you that are wondering why Uranians are able to fly, but are absolutely flabbergasted when someone fires a simple ki-beam at them. Do they have some kind of special psychic ability that makes them join the birdies? The answer is no! Uranians actually do use ki to fly, they just don't know it because they have the ability to fly even before they can walk properly so it is to natural for them to actually notice how they do it. They just "do it" (no, not THAT way, this fic is still rated PG you know, even though rating might go up in the future). The fact that Uranians can't sense powerlevels and don't use ki for anything else but flying (enabling them to reach incredible speeds without having to power up since they don't "waste" any energy on strength) isn't exactly helping either, so please give them a break for being a couple of wimps, they can't help it :-) ("hey, what are you guys doing with that hypospra…No! No! No! AAAAARRGH!")

To "ME!": Thank you for your latest reviews, they really make me want to continue the story :-) One question, though: why are all your reviews anonymous? It doesn't really matter to me if a review is signed or not because they are all welcome, but do you just forget to log in, or don't you have an account? If you don't you should really make one. Even if you don't have a story of your own, you can still use it to post signed reviews (some authors only accept those, even though I really don't know why), make a list of your favorite stories, or to enable Author Alert (you get an e-mail every time the author that you added to your alerts uploads a new chapter of story). If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me :-)

Enjoy this chapter everyone, and don't forget to leave behind your opinions!

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**Chapter 6: Horror Hotel, part I**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

After Susan's H.H.M. (Heroic Hairspray Maneuver), both girls were in a state of well… panic. To put it mildly. Forgetting the whole let's-be-careful-and-act-natural plan, they both flew at top speed trough the deserted streets of Gingertown (staying close to the ground, hoping that would make them more difficult to spot) desperately trying to get rid of the monster chasing them.

"WHATAREWEGONNADO?"

"I'm thinking! I'm thinking!"

"Well, think faster because he's gaining on us!"

"Don't be ridiculous, we're Uranians! No one is faster than…(Susan looks over her shoulder, seeing the monster slowly closing in on them. It's started firing a stronger version of that strange energy beam out of his hands on the ground behind him, thrusting himself forward)… EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

"The Delta Flyer!"

"No offense, but I really think we have bigger things to worry about, LIKE SAVING OUR LIVES?"

"No sis! I managed to fix the shields before we left, remember? If we can make it to the Flyer, maybe we can stay alive until someone saves us!"

"I don't think the shields are going to be enough to…"

"You don't think I know how to repair the shields?"

"HELLO? ANYONE HOME? We are talking about something that destroyed an entire city, plus its population, plus your hair (Lara grumbles a bit) and is able to fly and fire laserbeams with his bare…WHOA!"

The creature had fired one of Krillins 'Destructo Disks', that only by an inch, missed Susan's hair.

"Hey!" she shouted, "Stop trying to destroy our hair, you freak Barber from Hell!"

"Your speed is amazing my dear, but it won't save the two of you from me!"

"Susan! He's getting closer!" Lara yelled, stating the obvious.

"We have to get to the Flyer! Where is it?"

Susan and Lara were flying around like mad. Since no one of them remembered which direction they came from, they decided to use their tricorder to find their way back to the Flyer, which was nowhere to be found! Uh oh…

"I'm not picking up anything! It's like someone moved it!"

"You said you had hidden it!"

"I did!"

"Well, apparently you've done a crappy job! Now give me that!"

"HEY!"

Susan snatched the tricorder out of Lara's hands and started a long-range scan

"Ah! There it is… OH NO!"

"What is it?"

"Its miles away! We'll never make it in time! If that creep can continue to keep thrusting himself forward at that moronic speed, he'll probably catch up with us before we're even halfway there!"

"It's getting worse I'm afraid (pant)"

"Why?"

"We've already (pant) been flying at our absolute top speed for (pant) about 10 minutes… I..don't…think…(pant)"

"NO! Stay focused! I have an idea"

"Woohoo…"

"Look at that building over there!"

"ACK! It's that hotel again! We've been flying in circles THE WHOLE TIME? I can't (pant pant) belie…"

"When I say 'now!', we'll both make a real sudden stop so that he flies past us. When he does, we'll quickly get inside the hotel, and hide there! It looks like it has a lot of rooms, so even if he does somehow sees us enter the building, he'll have a pretty hard time finding us"

"And you don't think he'll just blow op the entire thing?"

"Something tells me he doesn't really want to destroy us…"

"Ahh… he's been just chasing us to say 'hello'? Now who's the one making an idiot out of herself here?"

"Just think about it peanutbrain! If he just wanted to blow everyone up, than why haven't their clothes been transformed into smoking piles of ash, hmmm?"

"Well …(thinks)…I'm not sure I want to know… (thinks a bit more)…Alright! We'll stick to your plan, but if it fails and he destroys us, I am SO gonna kill you!"

* * *

_In the mean time, back at Capsule Corporation... _

"Don't be such a big baby!"

"Forget it!"

Bulma sighed when her guiena pig tried to make a dash for the door, which she 'accidentaly' had locked.

"C'mon Yajirobe!" she tried, "I have to test this 'transporter' device on SOMEONE to find out what it's for!"

Yajirobe facefaulted, for a minute he reminded Bulma of her husband when a vein started throbbing on his forehead.

"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT DOES?"

"Well, the name 'transporter' probably means that this thing is used to well… transport things, I just haven't figured out how it works yet…"

"Well," he huffed, "I'm not going to be your...huh? What's this button for?"

"No! Don't touch anyth …..AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Bulma rushed over to Yajirobe, but he quickly pushed the button before she could stop him. When he did, a strange blue light suddendly engulfed Bulma, and a few seconds later she was gone without a trace.

"Eh…Bulma? W…where are you? You can come out now…This is not funny!"

* * *

_Back at the hotel, the two squabbling sisters managed to find an empty room to hide in. It had not been hard to find one, the clothing scattered throughout the lobby told them that all the people that had checked in, would probably never check out again..._

"Ack! move over Lara!"

"No, you…WHAT IS THAT SMELL?"

"I DIDN'T DO IT!"

"I still think the closet would have been a much better hiding place"

"WHAT? Haven't you ever been to one of Tom Paris' horrormovie nights? The monster always looks into the closet first!"

"And under a bed is probably the LAST place he would…"

"I PANICED OKAY? Besides that, according to the tricorder, he's on the floor right below this one and the noise of us running around looking for a better place to hide, might aler…"

"OWW!"

"BE QUIET YOU MORON! You could…hey! Who are you?"

Susan suddenly saw the strange blue-haired woman, who had somehow beamed down on top of Lara. It was hard to see because the covers were hanging over the edge of the bed, almost touching the ground and making their hiding place a dark one, but she looked human, and appeared to be in shock. Her pupils had narrowed and she was gritting her teeth and clenching her fists as though she was desperately trying to prevent herself from….

"O no! please don't…"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!"

"Great…"

"WHATAMIDOINGHEREWHOAREYOUPEOPLEWHYAMIUNDERTHISBE…HMMMFF!"

After a few minutes, the two Uranians managed to get Bulma off Lara's back and covered her mouth. It was not a minute to soon..

"What was that awful noise?" they heard a familiar voice asking no one in particular, "It came from this floor… maybe they're hiding in one of these rooms"

The monster had just finished searching the restaurant and calmly walked up the stairs, entering the third floor and checking every room. They had to be somewhere in this building, he could sense their ki, even though it was so low (especially now they had stopped flying) that he had a lot of trouble pinpointing their exact location. But he would find them eventually, and when he did, he was going to be one step closer to becoming the Perfect Being the good doctor had intended him to be. He had watched them for a while, listening to their "conversations" with his superior Namekian hearing, and when he decided it was time to strike, had been very careful not to kill them. He actually missed that pink-haired alien on purpose, but apparently their hair was some kind of vital organ, judging by her hysterical reaction when he accidentally damaged it while 'playing'. He made a mental note to be more careful not to fire any energy blasts near their heads once he had found them, because even though their strength was hardly worth all the the trouble, their speed and their psychic abilities where qualities that could prove to be extremely valuable during his quest for perfection. With the strength of android 17 and 18, and the unique qualities of those girls, no one would be able to stop him!

* * *

"Look lady," Susan whispered, "as tempting as it might be, this is not the time to panic" 

"I don't care how you got here, but there is a monster lurking around somewhere on this floor and we DON'T want him to find us, got it?" Lara added quite rude (receiving an evil glare from Susan)

"We're going to take our hands away, but you have to promise not to scream, or we're all dead, okay?" (Bulma nodded)

"How did you get here?"

"well…" Bulma took a deep breath, still a bit shocked, "me and my friends found a really strange ship in the woods near Gingertown, and when I tried fixing…"

"YOU TOOK THE DELTA FLYER?"

Susan first wanted to whack Lara for yelling so loud, but in the corner of her eye she saw a shadow moving and only a split second later, the door flew open and the monster was standing right in front of the very same bed under which they were hiding.

"Ahh.. Your ki is definitely a lot stronger in this room and if 'm not mistaken…you two have even made a friend! He or she will become a part of me as wel!" He spoke that last part a bit louder, hoping that shocking them would elevate their powerlevel making them easier to find. This hotel used to be the most expensive one of the entire region, and the rooms were quite big and full of useless human furniture making his search very difficult.

("What's ki? And what does he mean with 'becoming a part of him'?") Lara telepathically asked Susan, who was trying to prevent Bulma from screaming after that last disturbing announcement.

She didn't respond, but just shook her head, knot knowing the answer and not wanting it to know either. Uranians were able to send their thoughts to others when close to them (A/N: as I mentioned in chapter one) but they only did it when there was ABSOLUTELY no other way of communicating, since it consumed a lot of their energy. And they both knew they would need all the energy that they could get, if they wanted to make it out of there alive…

* * *

A/N: O no… things are not looking very good for our heroines and their new friend. While the strange creature is beginning to search trough the closet ("Ha! told you!" "ssssshhh!"), Susan, Lara and Bulma are beginning to wish that they had stayed IN bed, instead of hiding under one. Is this the end for our two favourite Uranians and Vegeta's lil'l sweetheart? (no! stay away from me! Ack! Don't fire that gallic gun at me! I was only kidding!), and what about the Voyager crew? Do they even know Susan and Lara are missing? Find out next time, on DBZ! TADADADADADADAAAA! (just can't get enough of that ending tune!) 


	7. Horror Hotel, part II

Starting Monday, I won't have much time (my Christmas vacation is about to end), but I will try to write new chapters in the weekends! I have a LOT of ideas for this fic, and I'm not going to spoil the plot, but I will tell you this: both the Z-fighters, Susan and Lara, Voyager, and the androids are all only a part of a much bigger plan… That's all I'm going to tell you for now ;-)

P.S. This is a DOUBLE update! When you're done reading this, you can start with chapter 8! This originally was one HUGE chapter, but later I thought it would be more readable if I divided it into two semi-big chapters. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!

"Talking"   
("Telepathy")

* * *

**Chapter 7: Horror Hotel, part II**

"I know you're here, you can't hide from me forever! Come out now, and I _might_ make it fast"

("Make what fast?")

("Mom must have dropped you when you were little…")

("Hey!")

The creature looked everywhere, carefully scanning the area for any movements. Where could they be… Maybe they're hiding behind that door over there…

"Look!" Bulma whispered, "He's heading for the bathroom!"

"Alright you guys," Susan said, "on the count of three we'll crawl out from under this bed as quiet as we can and sneak out! We'll hide in a room that he already went trough, he'll never expect us to…"

Susan was cut off by a beeping sound, followed by a voice coming from Lara's combadge.

"_Hello? Hello? Is anyone hearing this?"_

"ACK! Turn it of! Turn it of!"

"I'm trying! I'm trying! It's malfunctioning! It must've been damaged when SOMEONE crashed on top of me!"

"Give it to me," Bulma urged "maybe I can…"

Suddendly, they heard someone chuckling.

"Well, well, well! What do we have here?" 

The creature lifted the bed and send it crashing into a wall, exposing the three females. The entire floor was covered with sheets, pillows and feathers that had once been a part of the deluxe mattress. He slowly walked towards them, raising his tail.

"_Hello? Is this thing on? Can anyone…."_

"IEHIEHIEHIIIEEEHHEIIEEEEIIIIIIEEEEEEHHHIIIIEEEEE!"

_"Bulma? Is that you? That kid of yours is crying again! You cant just leave and…"_

A bit annoyed, the monster snatched both their combadges, crushing them with his bare hands. This was going to be the end, Susan felt it. There was absolutely now way they could ever…What the? She suddenly heard Lara talking in her head. It was very faint, almost like a whisper. She was probably scared the monster would somehow notice her telepathic actions but Susan could still hear her. Her sister had a plan! It was the oldest and most stupid trick in the book, but they had to try it. Maybe… just maybe…

"Now," the monster chucked "if there are no more interruptions…"

"LOOK BEHIND YOU!"

The monster sweatdropped, but quickly started laughing.

"Silly girl, you didn't actually believed that I would have fallen for that old…WHAT THE HELL?"

While the monster was distracted by Susan, Lara had managed to swiftly grab the covers of the bed and threw them over their attacker, blinding him for exactly 2 seconds (before he incinerated the entire thing) but that was enough for Susan to grab Bulma and make a run for it. 

"Nice move sis!" Susan grinned

"Thanks!"

"But I do have one small question…WHY DIDN'T WE JUST FLY OUT THE WINDOW?"

"Actually, that was Plan A, but at the last moment, I remembered what you said"

Susan frowned.

"And what would that be?"

"Well… remember when we flew outside? He wasn't fast enough to catch up with us when flying the normal way, until he started firing that weird energybeam on the ground pushing himself forward. And if your theory about him not wanting to blow us op is correct, he won't use that trick of his here, because firing a giant laser on the floor would destroy the hotel and us with it. Therefore, we will be able to stay ahead of him, as long as we don't leave the building!"

"Wow… you actually have a brain…"

"I'll take that as a compliment"

"If I survive this," Bulma yelled, "Yajirobe is SO going to die!"

* * *

In the mean time, things are beginning to get hectic on Voyager. After finding out the disappearance of the two Uranians, Captain Janeway was trying everything she could think of to find them. Susan and Lara tended to be a little... 'misschievous' from time to time, but they never really meant any harm. They would never do something like actually **stealing** the Flyer instead of 'borrowing it without asking', so she had a really bad feeling about all of this. 

"Nothing on long-range sensors captain…" Kim sighed, interrupting her musing. "It is as if they have vanished into thin air!"

"Its my fault captain…" Tom apologized "If I had been more careful when I left the Flyer…"

"Stop blaming yourself, Tom… they're teenagers! I would have probably needed to activate Voyagers self-destruct sequence to stop them"

_"Seven of Nine to the bridge!"_

Captain Janeway tapped her combadge.

"What is it, Seven?"

_"Please report to astrometrics, I believe there is something here you should see"_

"On my way… Chakotay, you have the bridge"

"Aye, Captain"

* * *

The monster was waiting outside near the exit of the hotel but even after 15 minutes, there was still no sign of them. Those girls were a lot more…difficult… than he had expected. He had hoped for them to fly out the window, but instead they apparently had decided to stay inside the building. Argh! If they would just come out in the open for a few seconds, he would be able to fire a ki-blast at them. Not to kill them of course, but with enough power to knock them unconscious so they would not run away, throw things over his head or attack him with cosmetics (his eyes still felt a bit stingy). He had underestimated them during their first encounter, and they had even managed to escape him again in that hotel, but the next time, they wouldn't be so lucky. He had a plan…

* * *

"Is he still outside?" Lara asked 

Susan took a look at their tricorder, and sighed.

"Afraid so, sis…"

"We can't stay here forever!" yelled Bulma.

"Well," Lara asked a bit annoyed, "you managed to transport yourself here, can't you get us back?"

"I didn't 'transport' myself!" Bulma fumed, "That idiot Yajirobe…"

"Okay, stop! Let's start at the beginning here: who are you and how did you get here?"

"My name is Bulma and I'm not telling anything until you do!"

"WHY YOU…!"

"LARA! Behave yourself!" Susan chided.

"HEY! She's the one who stole the Flyer!"

"That was your ship?"

Susan sighed.

"Yes. I'm Susan and 'bigmouth' over there is called Lara. We're from another dimension and from the future, about 400 years from now…"

Susan continued to tell Bulma their story.

"Wow… that's really something…" Bulma said softly, feeling sorry for the two alien girls.

"I know…but we don't want to hurt anyone, all we want is to get back to Voyager, preferably in one piece"

"Well, our technology might be 400 years 'old', but I did manage to fix a few things on your ship. With a little help from you guys I might be able to….EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKK!"

The monster was suddenly standing in the hallway, blocking their path.

Monster 1: "Good afternoon ladies!"

Susan: "YOW!"

They turned around, ready to make a run for the stairs but…

Monster 2: "Remember me?"

Lara: "Wha…"

Susan: "How did he…"

Trying to find a different way out, they looked out the window, only to find…

Monster 3: "I wouldn't do that if I where you!"

Lara: "Whoa….Is anyone else here experiencing dêja-vu?"

Susan: "This can't be good…"

The creature had somehow 'cloned' himself, and copies of him were blocking all the exits! All, but…

Susan: "Quick! Over here!"

She grabbed Lara and Bulma and rushed into a nearby elevator just before the window-clone and the hallway-clone jumped at them and instead, knocked out each other. Unfortunately, the stairs-clone saw what was happening and was now in hot pursuit.

Monster: "I won't let you get away this time!"

Bulma: "EEEEEK! close the door! Close the door!"

Barely a second before the remaining copy of the monster could pierce his tail into Bulma's neck, the door finally closed with a soft "ping!". While moving down, music started to play in the elevator and they all agreed that it was the most beautiful thing they had ever heard, until...

CLATTER!

Bulma: "What was that?"

Susan: "Ssssssshhh! Listen…"

BOING…RATTLE…CLANG…CRACK….

They now heard all kinds of strange noises above their heads, and then suddenly the elevator came to a screeching halt.

Lara: "Uhm… I don't know much about 21century elevators, but was that supposed to…"

They both froze. A wave of pure negative energy suddenly overwhelmed them, even Lara felt it. It was close…very close… almost as if the creature was right on top of…

Bulma: "Guys? What's wrong? Are you alri…"

Susan and Lara: "BULMA LOOK OUT!"

Bulma: "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!"

They both jumped at Bulma, knocking her unconscious but making her, just barely, miss the monsters tail that pierced trough the roof of the elevator. Not even giving them time to recover, the creature came crashing down, shrouded in a veil of smoke and dust.

Lara: "W…what is (cough) ha..ppe..ning?"

Susan: "(cough) I can't… (cough) see! (cough)"

The smoke finally cleared, revealing the 7foot monster in all its horror. For what felt like an eternity, they looked at each other. Nobody moved, no one said anything. The monster eventually got tired of just standing there. He chuckled darkly, and in a flash he was studdendly standing face to face with Lara.

"BOO!"

The sheer shock was enough to make her faint. Uranians weren't exactly known for their strong nerves, a weakness that obviously worked in the creature's advantage. Also, they had a tendecy to panic.

A lot...

"What the…" Susan gasped when she realised what had happened, "ACK! NOOOOO! LARA! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE WITH THAT CREEP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE……"

No response. With both her friends passed out, and no way to escape the Elevator of Doom (the hole in the roof wasn't an option, that 'thing' would probably kill her if she even thought about it), she had only one option left. Fight him, or..no wait… skip that. She was faster than he was, so landing a nice roundhouse kick to his head wouldn't be much of a problem, but that creature was unlike everything she had ever seen. For example, he just came crashing trough the roof of the elevator and didn't even had a scratch! She seriously doubted if even a photon torpedo could do any damage to this guy. Marvelous…

* * *

A/N: And that's why you should always think of a backup plan BEFORE you start to panic, kids! Will Bulma and Lara wake up in time? Will Susan be able to defeat the monster (both the monster and Susan roll their eyes at the authoress)? What's Seven of Nine's big discovery? Find out next time, on DBZ! Tadadadadadadaaaaaa (hmm… I liked the ending tune the first 3000 times, but now it's getting a bit boring) 


	8. Memories of Voyager

A/N; The second part of the Double Update! I have uploaded two chapters at once (it was first one big chapter, but I made it into two smaller ones for your reading pleasure) so before you read this one, make sure that you've read chapter 7 (Horror Hotel, part II)

Enjoy!

By the way: This chapter might be a bit "darker" than the other ones I've wrote so far. Its not that bad, but I'm beginning to wonder if this fic is still PG… what do you think? Please tell me, because I don't want to get in trouble ;-)

* * *

**Chapter 8: Memories of Voyager**

"What is it?"

"It appears to be an interdimensional rift, Captain"

Seven walked over to a nearby console and started to insert commands. The screen showed something that looked like a warp trail

"A warp trail? Why didn't we see that before?"

"High levels of chronoton radiation are disrupting Voyagers sensors, but I've been able to adapt them. I believe the Delta Flyer went trough that rift"

"Chronoton radiation?" the Captain frowned, "Are you saying that…"

"Yes Captain, the rift is also a time portal of some sort, but I have no idea where it leads to"

"Can we follow them?"

"I'm afraid not. Susan and Lara have probably not been affected by it thanks to their Uranian physiology, but the chronoton radiation is much to high for humans to endure… however, I might be able to alter our shields with Borg technology, but it will take at least two weeks… maybe three"

"Do it! In the mean time, I'll talk to the doctor, maybe he can come up with some sort of inoculation to protect us in case the shield won't be enough"

"Aye, captain"

* * *

"Got you!" 

The monster suddenly shot its tail towards Susan, who was barely able to dodge it

"That's really a nasty habit you know, but I happen to know a great doctor that can…YIKES!"

Susan almost tripped over her own feet when she dodged his second attack That was WAY to close for comfort!

"Very good!" the creature chuckled evilly, "Let's see how long you can keep that up"

He continued trying to stab her with his tail. Susan franticly kept jumping, leaping and flying around the elevator to dodge it, but with every move he got a little bit closer to actually striking her, as if she was having more and more trouble to keep up with him. She was losing energy. Their little 'race' outside and all that running and flying in the hotel had taken it's toll on her. The small confinements of the elevator weren't exactly helping either. To make matters worse, the monster had not even broke a sweat. O, boy…

"Let's just end this now," he purred, "we both know that sooner or later you will make a mistake"

Susan jumped into the air, ready to avoid his next attack but he just stood there with his arms crossed, smirking at her.

"What makes you think that?" she shot back

A sly smile slowly crept across his face.

"Most people tend to, especially when they are getting tired"

Monster: 1 Susan: 0.

Uh oh...

"Okay, for the sake of argument" Susan said, trying to be calm and collected (but failing miserably), "let's assume you're right and I do make a mistake… what would happen? If you just wanted to destroy me, you could have done that by blowing this thing up. From what I've seen, that should be no problem for you!"

"You're very perceptive!"

"And you're dead!" someone suddendly shouted, "YAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"WHAT THE!"

"OWW!"

Lara had woken op and jolted towards the monster, planning to attack it with everything she had. Unfortunately, he had managed to get out of the way just in time, causing her to crash into a wall and pass out again.

"Your sister is very…interesting"

"Tell me about it..."

She looked at Lara, and suddenly remembered how much she cared for her even though she could be very embarrassing sometimes. Sure, they fought a lot, but isn't that what sisters do? Besides that, it even was their fighting that caused them to end up living on Voyager. Susan had just passed her piloting exams and was taking Lara (who was –and is- still studying to become an engineer and had been begging her for three Earth weeks to take her for a ride, so she could 'practise'. Unfortunately, it only took about 20 minutes for them to reach a 'disagreement' (to put it mildly) regarding their course ("go left!" "go right!" "LEFT!" "RIGHT!" "AAAAAAARRGH!") and because of that, neither of them noticed the wormhole they went trough and the cube-shaped vessel that was waiting on the other end, about to inform the two squabbling aliens that resistance was futile and that their biological and technological distinctiveness would be added to their own. By the time they realized what was going on, their ship was already caught in a tractor beam. If Voyager had not received their distress call and beamed them out of there…

A cold chill ran down her spine.

Things had turned out okay eventually, though. They lost their ship, but Captain Janeway promised them that she would give 'em a ride home. The only problem was that the wormhole had collapsed and it would take at least three years before they would come across the nearest Uranian colony, but they didn't mind. The reason Susan became a pilot, was because she wanted some adventure and Lara almost had to be dragged out of engineering!

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Startled, she looked down at the monster, who was yawning and tapping impatiently with his foot, waiting for her to come down. How long had she been daydreaming? 5 minutes? 10? Long enough for him to catch her off guard if he had wanted to, that's for sure! How embarrassing! She tried to stay focused but she was so…exhausted…

Yeah, taking the Delta Flyer for some innocent fun and ending up trapped in an elevator with a 7foot monster that looked like a giant cockroach, definitely was nr. 2 on her list of Most Stupid Actions Ever (nr. 1 was, and always would be, trying some 'wholesome Talaxian herbal tea' when she had a headache because 'her friend was visiting').

"That was your first mistake, my dear"

In one swift motion, his tail whipped out in front of him, the deadly syringe aimed straight at her throat.

"Still think you can escape?"

Susan looked at him, and… made a decision she just knew she was going to regret.

"No…"

"Huh?"

"Look, I'm to tired to even concentrate on dodging you, and even IF I would be able to somehow get past you and reach that hole in the roof, I have to leave Lara and Bulma behind, completely defenseless, because carrying them would slow me down to much… I can't do that…so…I give up…"

Susan sighed and landed on the floor.

"Don't feel bad, you three should be proud of yourselves… No one of my victims has ever been able to run from me for as long as you did, but this little game of cat-and-mouse will end now"

He slowly walked towards Susan, and prepared to strike, but just at the last second…

"WAIT! Before I surrender to you, please answer a simple question…. WHY?"

"Why what?"

"WHY ARE YOU AFTER US? WHY DID YOU KILL ALL THOSE PEOPLE? WHAT'S WITH THE WEIRD DNA? WHO ARE YOU?"

Whew, that felt good! She really needed that.

"Weird…DNA…?" he blinked.

How did she know that? O, well… it didn't matter. Soon she would be a part of him and he would find out. When he absorbed someone, he didn't just absorb their body, but he could take their mind as well. Of course, he almost never did the latter. To much memories would only give him a headache. He only did it when it was absolutely necessary, to learn how to use a new attack for instance. Or psychic abilities.

"Alright…" he finally said.

"What?"

He lowered his tail. He was tired of playing games and wanted to get it over with, but he couldn't help admiring those girls. Even though their strength was barely above human, and even their speed had proven to be useless in the end, they still had managed to give him a very hard time. Maybe some of Goku's cells were talking now, but he would grant her a last request.

He shrugged.

"Since you are going to die, I might as well tell you. I'll answer your questions in reverse order"

"I'm all ears…"

"My name is Cell, and I am an android…"

The creature, who was called Cell, kept talking and talking. Susan could not believe what she was hearing, but he was telling her the truth. She would have sensed it if he didn't, and why would he lie anyway? He told her that he also came from the future with a time machine someone else was about to use (it was a good thing Captain Janeway wasn't hearing this, no one here seemed to care ANYTHING about the Prime Directive!), that he was made up from cells of the greatest warriors his creator could find, and that he came here to find two OTHER androids called "17" and "18" (how original). He even explained a little thing about ki!

There were now only a few pieces of the puzzle missing:

"What did you do to all those people?"

"I absorbed them"

Susan gulped.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice sounding a bit shaky.

"They are a part of me now. Their qualities…their energy…those are all added to my perfection"

Added to my perfection? That sounded awfully familiar. What would be next? Nanoprobes? She did not like where this was going…

"Just as android 17 and 18 will be soon…and let's not forget you!"

O, boy... definitly not good.

"Your speed is unlike anything I've ever seen, and those psychic abilities will also be a great addition to my ever growing power! I just have to absorb you two and then not even the Z-warriors will be able to stop me!"

Susan tried to stop herself. She could not ask him. She WOULD not ask him. She did NOT want to know! Uh oh…her lips started to move on their own… brain to mouth, brain to mouth, Please, please, PLEASE don't ask him! NOOOOOO!

"How do…you absorb…someone…?"

Great.

"I'm glad you asked," he grinned, "allow me to demonstrate…"

He raised its tail, and all of the sudden it felt like all the pieces of the puzzle fell in place. The empty clothes, the holes in them, absorption… He had stabbed them with that tail of his, and sucked them right out of their clothes! They had literally become a part of him, and she was going to be next! (but at least he didn't make her drink any Talaxian tea…)

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

Susan began to panic, when Cell was about to stab her, but suddenly someone came crashing trough the roof of the hotel, AND the elevator, grabbed the three females and carried them trough the elevator shaft, out of the building. Susan blinked when she felt the sun shining on her face. There could only be one possible explanation for all of this. She first glanced at the hotel, and then slowly looked up at her green, pointy eared rescuer.

"Uhm…excuse me!"

"Yes?"

"Am I dead?"

* * *

A/N: That was a close call! Will their mysterious rescuer be able to defeat Cell? Will Lara ever learn not to jump at people/evil monsters in close quarters? Will Bulma be able to repair the Flyer when she wakes up, if she ever wakes up? Find out next time, on DBZ! Tadada…whatever… :-) 


	9. Medical emergency!

A/N Here it is ladies and gentlemen, chapter 9! Things are finally starting to take shape… I'm sorry you had to wait longer than usual, but I've been busy plus, there's a real nasty virus spreading throughout Holland (our government officially declared it to be epidemic, woohoo…) and I've been infected a few days ago and was to sick to write. Fortunately it's starting to go away now :)

Please don't forget to review it! Even flames are welcome (well…maybe not…).

P.S. "talking", ("telepathy")_

* * *

_

**Chapter 9: Medical emergency!**

Susan, who was still a bit shocked, took a closer look at her saver that was still holding her by her wrist while carrying Lara and Bulma by their collars with his other hand. He was green, had pointed ears, and was DEFINITELY not human. It seemed like this "alternate universe" was a lot more…well…alternate than she thought. According to Voyagers database, first contact between humans and aliens should have taken place about 3 centuries (take of give a few years) ago from her perspective. And even though this guy had pointed ears and looked a bit grumpy, he was not even a Vulcan! What on Urania was going on here?

She was about to ask the stranger just that, until suddenly her ears almost fell of from the huge explosion that came from the hotel. She could not believer her eyes: Cell had blown up the entire building and was now hovering in the air, right in front of them. And no, he was NOT in a good mood.

"That was a very unwise thing to do, Piccolo…" He hissed.

Piccolo? He had mentioned that name before… Didn't he have his cells? Could this guy…

"Alright you, how do you know my name?"

"Well…" he smirked, "you could say we're brothers…but that's all I'm going to tell you" (A/N: What would a Cell story be without this famous line, hmm?)

Recovering from the shock, she started to remember her conversation with Cell in the elevator. This "Piccolo" fellow was a part of him, or at least his cells were…

"If you're not going to tell me, I guess I'll just have to make you!"

Suddenly, Susan realized something: this guy was on her side! She could sense that he didn't intend any harm, and if Cell had his DNA he was probably one of the strongest warriors in the planet and maybe even its last defense! For al she knew, all those other "DNA-donors" could be evil, dead or maybe even both…

("Can you still fly?")

What was that? She heard him talking in her head! Was his species telepathic like hers? And how did he know about her ability to fly?

("I think so… how did you know…") 

("I could sense that creature trying to attack you but it took me some time to get here because I had to keep my ki low to prevent "it" from sensing me. If you did not have the ability to fly you would've probably not been able to hold him off for as long as you did")

("Who are you?")

("There is no time to explain, he's going to attack us any minute now and I cant fight and protect you at the same time!")

Piccolo handed Bulma and Lara to Susan, never letting his eyes of Cell, who was getting in a fighting stance, determined to destroy the Namek and continue where he left off.

("Look, take Bulma and your friend, and get as far away from this place as you can, I'll try to distract him")

("Wait, there is something I want to show you first")

Susan raised her free hand (while holding Lara and Bulma in the other) and placed it on his temple.

"My mind to your mind…"

The procedure would only take about half a second. She had seen Tuvok do it once and thanks to her Uranian heritage, was able to perform it much faster than him. Unfortunately this "Uranian mindmeld", unlike a Vulcan one, only transferred her mind to him and not the other way around. Also, it required a lot of energy. Even when in perfect health, it would take her at least five full hours of sleep to recover. She was putting a lot of strain on her already tired body by doing this, but she had no choice. If she told him what had happened "the old fashioned way" it would take to long and Cell would kill them faster than she could say "he has your DNA!".

"…my thoughts to your thoughts"

And then it happened. While Cell was just looking at them, wondering what his lunch was doing, Piccolo received all her memories of this day. He now knew who they were and about the monsters true identity. He felt like his head was about to explode but he did not have the time to recover because Cell had decided to attack him, full force!

"Wha…who…YOW!"

Piccolo was left a bit bewildered by the experience, but managed fly up just in time to miss the monsters tail.

"That was a close one Piccolo, but do you see those clothes over there? You're going to end up just like that!"

"I don't think so, CELL!"

Cell was startled by Piccolo's reply

"How do you know my name?"

"O, that's not the only thing I know! I'll bet you just can't wait to absorb us and continue your search for the androids, huh? Well, let me tell you something: I'm not the Piccolo you think you know and I will NEVER allow you to reach your perfect form!"

He bolted towards Cell and kicked him into a nearby building. He then quickly turned to Susan.

"GO!"

Susan got the message and took off, as fast as her body could carry her. She felt dizzy and was drifting in and out of consciousness but she had to keep going. She just had to…

"Huh…wha.."

"Oooh…my head…"

Lara and Bulma slowly woke up from their "nap"

"What happened?" Lara shrieked, "How did we get out of the elevator? WHERE'S THE MONSTER?"

"Long story…" Susan mumbled.

"Sis? Are you alright? You don't look so…WHOA!"

Susan finally collapsed, but Lara managed to catch her and Bulma ("EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!") just in time.

"We have to get to Capsule Corp right away!" Bulma shouted

"Forget the Delta Flyer!" Lara telled, she reached for her combadge: "Lara to sickbay! Medical emer…"

Lara remembered that the monster had destroyed it and that Voyager was not going to hear her anyway. What were they going to do now? She glanced at Susan, who was hardly breathing.

"I'm not talking about your stupid ship!" Bulma shouted, "If we can get Susan to CC, we might be able to help her there!"

"Whats wrong with the hospital?"

"Well…nothing really, but they tend to give aliens a weird look, if you know what I mean"

"Oops… forgot about that… what way to that Capsule place, we have to hurry!"

* * *

A/N: This is starting to get interesting! While Piccolo is getting ready to take on Cell, Susan is fighting her own battle. Can Lara save her in time without bumping into a wall again? ("HEY!") Will I ever get rid of this stupid virus and stop throwing up? (everyone: "EWW!"). Find out next time on DBZ! –feels to sick to annoy everyone with the ending tune and starts searching for a bucket- 


	10. Talking pigs and dirty magazines

**A/N** The review fairy hates me, I just know she does… I haven't had a single review since chapter 5! Come on people, I know you're busy but I really want to know what you think of a new chapter when I post it, so pretty please with lots of sugar and dirty magazines (authoress distracts Roshi doing something that's not exactly rated PG and steals his treasure) on top? Thanks :)

P.S. Don't get confused by the all the dialogue in the beginning of this chapter, you'll understand later on.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Talking pigs and dirty magazines**

"_LOOK OUT!"_

"_EEEEEEEEKKK!"  
_

"_LARA! I need that warpdrive back online, NOW!__"_

"_I'm working on it Susan! Stop bossing me and get us out of here!__"_

"_I'm trying but they've locked on to us with a tractorbeam! We're screwed!"_

"_They're hailing us!"_

"_On screen!"_

"_We are the Borg, Lower your shields and surrender your vessel. Your biological and technological distinctiveness…"_

"_Sorry, not today! Computer, end transmission!"_

"_Hey, I'm detecting another ship, only a few light-years from here!"_

"_Send out a distress call!"_

"_Do it yourself, I'm not listening to YOU anymore miss-that-weird-transwarp-reading-is-probably-just-a-sensor-glith!"_

"_WHY YOU LITTLE…!"_

_--------- _

"_ABSOLUTELY NOT!"_

"_C'mon Susan, we both heared what Captain Janeway and Seven were talking about"_

"_Refresh my memory again, will you?"_

"_Sigh… Voyager's dilithium supply is running low and they're going to be in BIG trouble if we don't find some soon!"_

"_Hold on a minute…'we'?"_

"_Wes, 'we' you dip! Seven located a HUGE amount of that stuff in a nearby asteroid field but the radiation is much to high for humans to endure and the next source is to far away!"_

"_So… we're going get it?"_

"_Why not? The radiation might be deadly to humans, but not to us"_

"_Well… I guess it's the least we can do for them, since they did save us from the Borg and everything…"_

"_Woohoo! Let's go!"_

"_Wait a minute Lara, you did ask the Captain about taking the Delta Flyer, right?"_

_"Uhm……………………"_

"_I KNEW IT!"_

"_I just thought it would be cool to surprise her when we get back! Beside that, she would've probably said 'no', so why bother trying?"_

"_Of al the_ _stupid__…__ Alright, Just hurry up and bypass the security of this thing before I change my mind…"_

_---------__  
_

"_Ah__…__ hold on Lara, the door is finally starting to give"_

"_WOOHOO! FRESH AIR! We should…O no! Look at the Flyer!"_

"_Its wrecked!"_

"_Captain Janeway is gonna kill us…."_

"_Don't be so.."_

"_EEEEEEEEEEEEK! O NO! O NO! O NO! WHATDOWEDONOWWEARESOSCREWEDNOWWENEVERGETTOGOTO…"  
_

"_CALM DOWN YOU MORON!"_

"_Thanks… I needed that...'_

"_Aright, here's the plan: you stay here and try to repair as much damage as you can, in the mean time I'll try to find out where we are. According to my tricorder, there's a city nearby, maybe the people living there can help us"_

"_I'm not an engineer! I'm still studying!"_

"_Well until I find some help, IF I CAN find some help that is, you'll have to do. At least try to fix the communication equipment__"_

"_Sorry, those were destroyed just before we went into that rift, remember? If they weren't beyond repair then, than they sure are now!"_

"_Of all the… alright, just get this thing flying again! We don't know who or what lives here so I want to be able to leave if we need to"_

"_Slave driver…"_

"_I HEARD THAT!"

* * *

_

Memories started to resurface in Susans mind as she was slowly regaining consciousness. She opened her eyes a bit. What was going on? She was in a house, lying on a sofa. She tried to sit up, but was pushed down by a strange (but very handsome!) boy with lavender hair.

"Easy, you've lost a lot of energy"

"Ugh…"

"Here, eat this, it will help"

He gave her something that looked like a bean. She could immediately feel a power boost surging trough her body when she ate it.

"WOW! This certainly beats a hypospray!"

"Huh?"

"Never mind… who are you?"

The boy introduced himself as "Trunks", future son of Bulma (who was very, VERY happy to see him). He had sensed a very strange powerlevel coming from Gingertown, but bumped into them when he was on his way to investigate. Lara and Bulma told him what had happened (for as far as they knew, of course) and he had taken them to Capsule Corp.

She looked around. There were other people in the room that apparently had decided to also go here and check things out. A sleeping man who for some reason didn't look very healthy, a boy with black hair, a hysterical women that kept yelling at him about something she called "homework", a tall man with a third eye in his forehead, a normal man with a scar on his face, an old man that was busy drooling over some rather…uhm… "interesting" magazines, a short bald guy with dots on his forehead, and to top it off, a flying cat, a talking pig and a very short clown-like figure. This was getting weirder by the minute!

"SIS!"

"What the…HMMPFH?"

"OMGYOUREALRIGHTITHOUGHYOUWHEREDEADIMSORRYFOR…"

"Ugh……need……air……!"

Susan coughed and looked at her "attacker" who was holding her in a bearhug. For a minute she thought Cell had returned, and was trying to kill her, but it was just her sister freaking out again. Almost 30 minutes later, Lara finally calmed down.

"Piccolo told us what happened…"

"Is he…"

"Yes, I'm here"

A dark figure emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room, where he had been watching them the whole time. Susan knew he was one of the good guys, but she still found him a bit creepy.

"Did you…"

Piccolo shook his head, already knowing what she was going to ask him

"When you left, he tried to surprise me with a Kamehameha wave but thanks to you, I knew what he was capable of. We fought for what felt like hours but at the end, when I almost had him…" Piccolo clenched his fist in frustration, "…he got away…"

"We're dead…"

"NO!"

The black-haired boy stepped forward.

"My dad will beat him!" He pointed at the sleeping man. "I know he will! That monster might have Saiyan cells but he doesn't…"

"Whoa, slow down kid!" Susan interrupted him, "Who are you and who are the Saiyans? I believe Cell mentioned them before, but he never really explained what…"

"Wait a minute," Lara butted in, "I'll show you.. it'll be faster than them telling the whole story all over again"

Lara walked towards Susan, and performed a mind-meld to share what their new friends had told her. Because she just had eaten a sensubean when she wasn't really that injured, she had a lot of left-over energy that was being used now, instead of the usual five hours of sleep.

"So…" Susan said, "basically, this 'Goku' here is suffering from a heart virus and is hunted by the same androids Cell is after… talking about a cat-and-mouse game!"

"We can't let him absorb them! The androids I know destroyed my world…and this freak is even worse!" Trunks yelled

"YEAH! LET'S GO KICK SOME ANDROID BUTT!"

Lara made a run for the door (knocking everyone over who was in her path, including a very surprised Master Roshi who didn't seem to mind at all), but was hold back by Tien and Krillin.

"HEY! LEMMEGO! EEEEEEEEK! THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY!"

Lara struggled to get free, determined to seek out Cell and give him a piece of her mind. She managed to free her right leg and was about to kick Krillin in the you-know-what, until…

"Lara! Susan! Both of you listen up!"

Everyone turned to Piccolo.

"The androids are not the only ones that Cell is interested in, remember? You might not be very strong, but…"

"HEY!"

"Shut up Lara…" Susan sighed, rolling her eyes

"You shut up!"

"NO YOU…"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"

(everyone but Piccolo): "o.0;;;"

"Look…" He took a deep breath while placing his hand on his forehead as if he was having a headache (which was true, believe me) "you guys have to stay put and keep your ki as low as you can… I know you can't control it good enough to hide it entirely but if you don't fly he will not be able to sense you unless he's extremely close"

Susan suddenly thought of something

"Piccolo, I can imagine him wanting to absorb us while we're 'in the neighbourhood' anyway, but do you really think he would go through the trouble of actually _looking_ for us? If I were him, I would rather search for the androids because they're a lot stronger than we are, right?"

"Strength is only one factor in a battle… there are a lot of other things that makes one a powerfull fighter, like extreme speed…"

"And psychic powers…" Susan whispered. She looked at Lara who had the same terrified expression on her face as she had. Suddenly, they both realised that Cell would indeed look for them and absorb them no matter what. Maybe even before he would go after the androids, because she and her sister were no doubt easier prey and their cells would certainly give him a greater advantage when it was time for Step nr. 2, absorbing 17 and 18. With speed and psychic powers alone, he could never defeat them but he didn't have to. He only needed to get close enough…

Lara was the first to say something.

"I think I'm going to be sick…"

"Maybe we should take them to the lookout!" Yamcha suggested "I'm sure they'll be safe there!"

"Well… I think we should all go back to Kamehouse again" Oolong butted in

"We're staying here!"

"What?"

Everyone looked at Susan

"If we stay here, we can help Bulma repair the Delta Flyer and maybe make contact with Voyager. If anyone can help us, its them"

"But Cell will…" Piccolo tried

"No, Susan's right!" Lara interrupted him "If it had not been for Captain Janeway, we would now have Borg designations instead of names!"

"You're not safe here!" he growled, "You have to leave!"

(Susan and Lara together): MAKE US!

It was very tempting to just grab them by their hair and drag them to the lookout, but since they weren't going to come along willingly, Piccolo would have to use force, which meant raising his power level and alerting Cell. He looked at the two Uranians who were already fighting about what they were going to repair first. He then looked at the other Z-fighters who apparently had decided to also stay here and were helping Chi Chi carry her husband to one of the guestrooms. Ugh… this was going to be a long day…

* * *

A/N: Our heroines are finally safe! Or… are they? Will they be able to contact Voyager in time? Will Piccolo remain sane long enough to defeat the androids? Will Master Roshi ever stop reading those dirty magazines? Find out next time, on DBZ! 

P.S. I know what you're thinking...yes, I can read your mind trough the screen...You're thinking: o great... Lara and Susan get back to Voyager within the next three chapters and/or destroy imperfect/semi-perfect/perfect Cell and live happily ever after, right? NO! YOU'RE WRONG! MHUHAHAHAHAHA!


	11. Dude, where's my tricorder?

Hello everybody! First, I really want to thank everyone for their latest reviews, they (shifts into dramatic mode) give me the strength to continue the story :)

Mr. Uncannon: Dôh! Of course I meant chronotron radiation, must have been the sugar taking over again… its fixed now :)

Fuzzy: Don't worry, Piccolo is a big boy, he can handle it (I hope)

By the way, the story is going to be a little bit A/U, thanks to Susan and Lara. They aren't at the island anymore because everyone has moved to Capsule Corp to see what's going on, and because Trunks has been "delayed" by bumping into Lara and the others, he hasn't visited the Laboratory basement yet. Let's just hope, with all the confusion, he and/or or the others will remember to do so in time…

* * *

**Chapter 11: Dude, where's my tricorder?**

"I almost forgot to thank you for our new clothes, Bulma! They're very comfortable"

Lara took another look at her outfit. Their old clothes had been simple bodysuits with sometimes a skirt or something like that. They looked a bit like the clothes Kes used to wear, but Bulma thought it would be better to give them some normal garments during their stay on Earth. A pair of blue jeans with a black t-shirt for Susan, a pair of white jeans with a red t-shirt for Lara, and sneakers for both of them. It was a bit boring for her taste, but the less attention they would draw, the better.

"Don't mention it," Bulma turned to Susan "What did you call this thing again?"

"A warpcore. You can use it to travel faster than light speed!"

"That's even faster than Goku's instant transmission!"

"Yeah… to bad you can't repair it Bulma…"

"Sorry about that guys, I was able to fix your replicator and maybe I can even get communication online again but this anti-matter stuff is just way to dangerous to mess with… one mistake and we don't have a planet LEFT to defend against the androids"

"Well, communication is the most important, once we have established a link with Voyager, they can beam us AND the Delta Flyer back before SOMETHING goes wrong again!"

"Don't give me that look!" Bulma protested when she noticed the scowl on Susans face, "I already told you that Yajirobe…"

"Did someone call?"

Yajirobe peeked around the corner of the entrance to Bulma's workshop, where Susan, Lara and Bulma had started repairing the Flyer –or what was left of it. They all gave him The Ultimate Super Glare Of Death.

"Right…" he gulped, "I'll just go now…"

Yajirobe decided that it would be best to leave town for a while. He knew that by going outside, he would risk running into the androids or that "Cell guy" those girls were talking about, but right now, he would probably be a lot safer with them, than with an angry Bulma…

* * *

"Eww…gross!" 

"Its disgusting…"

Trunks and Krillin were looking at the small tank they had found in the basement of dr. Gero's laboratory. It was filled with a strange green liquid and in the centre, you could see a small embryo that would eventually grow into the strongest and most evil android that had ever walked the face of the Earth.

"Lets blow this place to smithereens!"

"Wait! Look over here Krillin…"

Trunks picked up a piece of paper from a desk. It appeared to be a "blueprint" of some sort…

"Weird…" Krillin frowned, " what do you make of it Trunks?"

"It looks like the design for… android 17!"

The face of the munk lit up.

"That's great! Are there anymore plans? Like Cells maybe?"

"No… just some weird schematics for a gas powered blender…"

"We better take these to Bulma!"

"No, you take them" Trunks said, handing Krillin the plans "I want to go and train with my father, if that's okay with you"

"Sure… but do you think Vegeta will let you"

"I don't know… but I have to try…"

* * *

_In the mean time, a small pink van was driving through Ginger Town. The driver and the passangers did't pay any attention to the eerie silence or the clothes that were scattered throughout the streets. There was only one thing on their minds... _

"This is taking forever, why don't we just fly!"

"Come on, just relax and enjoy the ride, sis!"

"Argh! You're hopeless!" the female android growled and turned to the silent giant in the back seat.

"16, where did you say Goku was again?"

"According to my last scans, Goku has left the island I detected earlier"

"And where is he NOW?" 17 asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Capsule Corporation, it's a few hours driving from here…hmm?" 16 pauzed, it seemed like something suddendly had caught his attention.

"What is it? And don't give me that someone-just-as-strong-as-you-are-17 nonsense again because I already told you that NO ONE is stronger than…"

"I'm detecting two new powerlevels"

"Are they also as strong as me?"

"No"

"Whatever…" 18 muttered under her breath, "lets just hope they have some decent clothes at that Capsule place, I can't wait to get out of these rags"

* * *

"The new shields are fully functional, Captain" 

Captain Janeway carefully examined the schematics Seven was showing her.

She had used an awful lot of Borg technology which could draw some unwanted attention, but according to Seven it was the only way to protect Voyager and its crew against the radiation. They had already scanned the area for any Borg activity and it looked like the coast was clear.

"Did you find any additional information regarding what's on the other side of that rift?"

"Only that they've landed on a planet similar to Earth and that time is moving a lot slower there. A week here, is about 90 minutes there"

Captain Janeway tapped her combadge.

"Red alert! All hands report to your stations, we're going after them!"

"If you don't mind Captain, I would rather run a few additional test to…"

"We don't have time for more testing!"

"But time is moving a lot slower there," Seven objected, " it would only require a few minutes…"

"Remember what happened the _last_ time we thought they could manage 'a few minutes' on a distant planet?"

Seven suddenly turned pale

"I forgot…"

"Prepare to activate the shields on my command!"

"Aye, Captain"

* * *

"I don't get it!" Bulma sighed. "Why won't this thing work? It should be able to make contact with your ship by now, but something isn't functioning properly.. I just can't find it!" 

Frustrated, Bulma slammed her fist on the console

"Maybe if we scan it with our tricorder we can see what…" Susan pauzed and glanced at her younger sister. "Lara? Is there something wrong? You look a little nervous"

"ACK! No! I'm not nervous! Why would I be nervous?"

"Alright Lara, where's our tricorder?"

"Hehehehe…."

"WELL?"

"Uhm…"Lara stammered, "promise you won't get mad…but…"

"But what?"

"Well…uhm…you see… it might be possible that….maybe…I sort of…."

"Don't tell me that you…"

Lara put one hand behind her head and smiled sheepishly.

"Remember when we were in that hotel and I told you that our clothes should have bigger pockets like the ones…"

"I KNEW IT!"

"Whoa, what are you…NO! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THAT...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!"

* * *

"Those two are definitely not from around here…" 

Cell looked at the strange device he had found buried under the remains of the hotel. After his battle with Piccolo, he had returned to the city to search for Susan and Lara. Unfortunately, they had managed to get away, but with this nifty little piece of technology, he would have no problem finding them. It didn't take him very long to figure out how it worked, he had seen those girls use it before and now the only thing he had to do was to scan for their DNA.

He held something in his hand… a pink hair he had found on the ground near the entrance of the hotel. He grinned.

"Very soon…"

* * *

**A/N:** ACK! This is not going according to plan! With the androids closing in ahead of schedule, and Cell still on the loose, things aren't looking very good for planet Earth. Will Bulma still be able to make the famous remote when Krillin finally returns with the plans? Will Voyager make it in time to save our favourite heroines? And is it _really_ safe to turn on the shields? WHY WON'T "THEY" LET ME USE MULTIPLE EXCLAMATION MARKS ANYMORE? Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	12. Reunion

**A/N:** There used to be a big list in this author note here, of reasons why people should e-mail The Evil Webmasters Of Doom, but I decided to take it down. I was just e-mailed by a friend who's accound has been removed because she did a similair thing. Someone had reported her. It's not that I'm afraid "they" will take down this fantastic story (ahem), but I think that if people want to protest against something, they should do it on their own and not because someone asked them to. And maybe I am a little afraid (hides under her desk), lol :)

* * *

**Chapter 12: Reunion**

"Captain…you're not going to believe this…" Harry gasped, "but that planet…I think it's Earth!"

"WHAT?"

Captain Janeway jumped out of her chair and turned to ensign Kim.

"Yes!" he said, confused, " According to our scans, we travelled 400 years in the past. And even though the continents are for some reason different, I'm picking up radio-signals, and I'm detecting humans on the surface"

"How many lifesigns?"

"About five…no wait… what the?"

Captain Janeway looked at Harry. He had a puzzled look on his face.

"What is it Harry?"

"These life signs…" he blinked," they're dropping…hundreds are disappearing every minute…"

"Cause?"

"Unknown… there is also some strange interference blocking our sensors"

Captain Janeway rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"Any trace of Susan and Lara?"

"I'm not picking up their combadges, or the Delta flyer, there is just to much of that strange interference"

"Can we transport an away team to the surface?"

"Sorry Captain…those have been damaged when we travelled trough the rift, the're still being repaired"

"Well," she sighed, " keep scanning for their biosigns, in the mean time…"

* * *

"What on Earth are they doing?" 

Cell blinked and looked at "his" tricorder again. He was very close now, but it seemed that they (or at least that Lara girl, he only had her hair to use for the DNA scan) suddenly had started to run in circles or something. Strange…

* * *

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" 

"GIVE THAT BACK NOW!"

"HA! MISSED ME! WOOHOO!"

"AAAAAAAAARRGH!"

Susan sat on the roof of Capsule Corp (Krillin had returned with some weird papers and ever since then, Bulma had locked herself up in her workplace, putting the Flyer on hold), and watched Lara run from Piccolo. She wondered why he even _tried_ to catch her, she was way to fast for him, especially when in Hyper Mode. Susan had tried to tell Chi Chi several times that Uranians are highly allergic to sugar but she still had made Lara try some of her chocolate-chip-cookies-with-extra-chocolate, and now Piccolo, or rather piccolo's turban, had to suffer the consequences.

"YAY! THIS IS FUN! LET'S….OWW!"

That was clever! Piccolo had stopped and hid behind a tree, making Lara (who was still running laps around the building) run/crash right into his arms. After a bit of struggling to get free, she stopped shaking and her dilated pupils suddenly returned to normal.

"Ugh… please remind me never to do that again…"

Hmm, it looked like her sugar rush was over. Too bad, it had been three hours since Bulma kicked them out and started working on that "remote thingy", and Susan was extremely bored. Still on the roof, she lay down on her back and looked at the clouds

"Bunny…cookie…cat...shuttle…WHAT THE?"

Susan jumped to her feet when she saw the tiny shuttlecraft that was hurtling down in their direction. It was going to crash right into Capsule Corp! Fortunately, piccolo saw what happened, and with the help of the other Z-fighters, managed to catch it just before it would make an emergency landing in Bulma's living room.

They put the shuttle down. Inside was a small device, not much bigger than a combadge. It looked a bit damaged, but when Bulma (after Susan and Lara dragged her away from the remote) pushed a few buttons here and there, it started bleeping and a man in a Starfleet uniform appeared out of nowhere.

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency…"

* * *

A/N: Help has arrived! Or… has it? Will the Doctor be able to get our heroines back to Voyager? Will Lara ever learn to just say "no" when someone offers her a cookie? Will Piccolo be able to keep his other clothes safe? Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	13. Android attack!

**A/N:** Here it is ladies and gentlemen, nr. 13, the longest chapter I've ever written 'till now! I hope you'll enjoy it. Have fun and please be kind to the nice library people, they deserve our respect!

Mr Uncannon: the beginning of chapter 12 says that they see that the continents are different, but that they pick up radio signals and even detect humans. But thanks anyway, I appreciate all efforts to help me improve the story. :)

* * *

**Chapter 13: Android attack!**

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency"

"DOC!"

Lara and Susan jumped him, almost crushing his mobile emitter. When the Doctor finally managed to get them of his back, he (well, his emitter) was almost destroyed again by the Z-fighters who figured that since he had no powerlevel, he had to be an android. Fortunately, Susan convinced them that even though the Doctor and his Hyposprays of Doom could be quite dangerous sometimes, he was not planning on destroying them. Yet.

Since they had no idea what was causing the planet's population to "disappear", Captain Janeway had sent the Doctor in a shuttle to learn more about this strange "parallel Earth" and maybe even find Susan and Lara. They immediately asked him if he could cure Goku, but unfortunately, he did not have the proper tools to examine him, and since Voyager's transporters were still not able to lock on to them and his shuttle was badly damaged, he could not get him to Sickbay.

"So…that's the whole story," the Doctor said, "now tell me what happened here!"

"Well…" Susan started, "there are two androids called '17' and '18' that want to kill Goku, and there is another android called 'Cell' who wants to absorb us, absorb the androids and THEN kill Goku. The Deltaflyer is almost completely destroyed and 'Stupid' over here (she looked at Lara) lost our only tricorder!"

"I see… wait here, while I'll get something from my medkit…"

"Susan is telling the truth!" Lara exlaimed, "Except for the tricorder part…"

"You did lose it!"

"It wasn't my fault!"

"Yeah, right!" Susan said in a sarcastic voice, "I'm sure it just magically came to life and jumped out of your pocket while you weren't…"

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK!"

"I WILL LOOK AT YOU WHEN AND HOW I FEEL LIKE…oooooooooohh…."

The Doctor had sedated them both. It was a bit unethical but nobody's perfect, not even a hologram. Besides that, the others seemed rather grateful.

* * *

"Will you PLEASE be careful with that!" The Doctor fretted. 

"It's alright doc, Bulma knows what she's doing..."

Susan turned to Bulma who was taking a look at the Doctors shuttle. They had left it on the driveway, since it would probably have gotten a bit crowded in her workplace with two shuttles, one human, two Uranians and a very frustrated hologram.

"You do KNOW what you are doing, right?" She whispered

"Hey, trust me okay?" She turned to the Doctor "It's not as bad as it looks. I can fix most of the damage"

"MOST of the damage?" Even though he was a hologram, the Doctor suddenly looked a bit pale. "We have to get back to Voyager, before Lieutenant Paris destroys my Sickbay and-"

"Will you calm down already?" Bulma chided, " There are a few parts that are beyond repair, but I might be able to replace those with some spare ones from the Delta Flyer"

"Finally some good news!" Lara said, very relieved. "How long will it take?"

"If everything goes well, probably not more than a few weeks…"

"BUT WE DON'T HAVE A FEW WEEKS!"

"and of course, I have to make that remote first…" Bulma continued, completely ignoring Lara's panick attack.

"FORGET THAT THING!" the Uranian eclaimed, " If Cell finds us, we're all dead!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but if he absorbs the androids…"

"Those guys? Ha! What good is strength if you don't have speed?"

"But what good is speed if you don't have strength?" someone else said.

Everyone turned to Piccolo who had been watching them from a distance.

"strength and speed are like air and water: one is not better than the other and you need both to survive." He sighed, " Cell knows that."

Bulma suddenly thought of something

"Piccolo," she asked, "you say he needs Susan and Lara as well as the androids, but how can that be? Dr. Gero build him before Susan and Lara came to Earth, so how can they be a part if his design?"

"They are not"

"Alright," Susan said "you lost me"

"His ultimate goal is to attain perfection, so he will not just absorb the androids, but also everyone else who has some kind of useful attack or ability he doesn't possess yet"

"But… why is he preying on humans then?" the Doctor asked, "compared to Uranians or these so called 'Saiyans' they don't have much to offer him"

"In his current form, he is to weak to defeat us, let alone the androids. He needs energy to get stronger and humans are an easy target"

Susan and Lara looked at each other in shame. They suddenly realised that if Cell ever became complete, it would mean the end of everyone and everything. They also realized that even though their speed and psychic abilities could be dangerous in the hands of Big, Green and Creepy, the androids were the REAL danger here, since they were the ones that he needed to reach his perfect form. And yet, here they were, urging Bulma to forget the remote and fix their ship, just so that they could save their own butts at the cost of millions of lives. Susan turned to Bulma.

"Uhm…Bulma?"

"Yes?"

"We think that you should finish the remote first"

"Are you sure that…"

"Yeah, sure!" Lara said, her voice a little bit higher than usual, "Don't worry, we'll just hide under our beds until this is over and after that you can repair our shuttle"

They all looked at the Doctor

"What do you think, Doc?" Susan asked

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really"

"Well then," he said with a sly grin, " I'll just make myself at home here!"

She twitched

"You wouldn't..."

"FIGARO! FIGARO! FIIIGAAAAROOOOO!"

"AAAAARGH!"

* * *

"S-stay away from m-me! One m-more s-s-step and I WILL USE THIS!" 

Cell continued to creep up on the terrified man that was holding a stapler. He was shaking so badly that he almost let it fell out of his hands.

"Sorry," the android taunted, while slowly raising his tail, "but I don't have time to play with you"

A high pitched scream echoed throughout the deserted library, that was once filled with people reading horror stories, instead of being a part of one. The man, an almost 70-year old librarian who cared more for his job than for anything else in he entire world, had tried to distract Cell by throwing dictionaries at him, in an attempt to give three students that had been trapped in the History section a chance to escape. Unfortunately, Cell just ignored him and continued his absorbing spree, until there was no one else left, and now in the end, the old man too, was gone.

Cell looked at the tricorder. Good, they had not moved yet. He was thinking what to do now. Over the last few days, he had gathered quite a lot of energy, but he still wasn't sure if he was strong enough to go after the androids yet, because he had no idea about their actual power. His first plan was to get those two Uranians first, but as he got closer to Capsule Corp, he started to sense the presence of the Z-fighters. He could easily defeat one of them by now, maybe even two, but the entire group? He decided that he would still head for Capsule Corp, absorbing as much humans as he could along the way. Since Goku was probably with his friends, the androids would also show up there eventually and he could decide then, who would be his first victim…

* * *

"Tree…horse…bat'leth…" 

Susan was back on her favourite spot; the roof of their temporary home. It was the only place where she could just lay back and think, without the Doctor trying to scan her every five minutes, or Lara driving her to the edge of sanity again. She tried spotting Voyager, but of course she didn't succeed. They were probably in high orbit to prevent detection. Still, the thought of Captain Janeway and the entire crew being up there, working a way to get them of this planet, was a comforting one.

The sun was shining on her face, and a gentle breeze blew trough her hair. She closed her eyes, but just when she was about to fall asleep, the sound of a car alerted her to some new "guests". She sat up, and looked at the pink van that was heading in their direction.

The van stopped right in front of the Doctor's shuttle that was still on the driveway, where Bulma had left it. From the inside of the vehicle, she could hear three voices: two males and one female. Maybe it was some kind of undiscovered Uranian psychic power, women's intuition, or just plain random weirdness, but she had an eerie feeling. Like "something" was just not right. She tried to sense the people in the van. Much to her surprise, it was almost impossible! Only if she concentrated really, REALLY hard she could sense they where at least alive, but she didn't pick up emotions, or anything else that could help her determine if they were good or evil. That could mean only one thing: the androids had finally arrived.

"Hmm? What's this?" the woman asked

"Well," one of the male voices replied in a tone that sent chills down Susan's spine, "whatever it is, it's parked on OUR spot!"

For a split second, Susan saw that the entire car was filled with very, very bright light, and with an ear deafening explosion, a giant ki-blast was fired through the windshield of the car, shattering the glass into millions of razor-sharp pieces. Still sitting on the roof, she squinted her eyes and tried to see what was happening, even though a small voice in the back of her head was telling her to shift into chicken-mode and, as Lara had suggested earlier, hide under her bed until it was over.

When it finally WAS over, she could not believe what she saw. The Doctors shuttle was gone. Just like that! Only a pile of ash was what remained of their ticket home.

Susan was desperately fighting the urge to panic. Piccolo had told her that anger, fear and other strong emotions could cause their powerlevels to rise and that, with Cell still lurking around, they had to control them as much as possible. Strangely, high amounts of sugar caused their powerlevels to almost disappear completely (even though you've probably expected the opposite). They found out about that one a few hours ago (thanks to Lara), but Piccolo had told them quite rude, that he would rather let Cell absorb him and destroy the universe than to ever, EVER allow an Uranian to eat sugar again.

Uh oh… she saw the androids coming out of the van (or what was left of it). The first person was a girl with blond hair, a denim skirt, and a white shirt. Following her was a giant with orange hair and some kind of strange limegreen armour. Not someone you should mess with, she thought, but the last person really caught her attention. A boy, maybe a bit older than her. He had long (but not to long) black hair and was wearing simple blue jeans with a black shirt and a orange bandana. But his eyes… those cold blue eyes… she couldn't stop staring at him. Was this what Lara (a million times) called "love at first sight"? Of course it was not! Falling in love for the first time in your life, with someone you have never even met before _and_ blew up your ship was not like her. But if she was too intelligent and calm for something like that, than why couldn't she take here eyes of him? NO! She was NOT falling in love with the enemy! She absolutely refused to believe …

"Well, hello there!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

He had suddenly disappeared, and reappeared right behind her on the roof.

"Is this Capsule Corp?"

"I don't know"

"were you spying on us?"

I don't know"

"what's your name?"

"I don't know"

O, great. Her brains had officially left the building and her hormones were now in charge. Which was _definitely_ not a good thing. He tried to get her to tell where Goku was, but she just looked at him, opening and closing her mouth like a fish and acting like a complete idiot. She did not know if it was because of love or fear, but she was completely paralyzed. NOOOO! What was she doing? She tried yelling at herself in her head. _Don't show him your fear! Say something! STOP DROOLING_!  
It had no effect. Second felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours while they both were just standing there. Was he going to kill her? Kiss her? Ask for directions? Probably the first, but still…

"HEY YOU!"

Their little "romantic moment" was suddenly interrupted by a furious Lara who had watched the arrival of their unwelcome visitors and was now determined to give them a piece of her mind. Right behind her were the Z-fighters and the Doctor who was trying to convince everyone to "talk about it instead of beating each others brains out".

"Looks like we have company" he smirked

"Uh…"

"Guess I'll have to get back to you later"

"Sure…" Susan mumbled, but he had already left, and was now talking to Piccolo. She looked at Krillin, who was hiding behind a tree, spying on the female android. He was blushing, and looked like he was about to have a heart attack when blondie turned around and spotted him. Hmm… maybe this "love thing" was contagious. That's it! He must have infected her with some kind of strange virus causing her to feel like she was going to throw up. She would get him for that later, but right now she had bigger problems. Like not getting killed, for instance…

* * *

**A/N** Ack! Bulma, hurry up with that remote! Will the androids find Goku? Will the Doctor one day learn that a hypospray is not always the answer? Will your weekly trip to the library ever be the same again? Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	14. NOOOOO!

A/N: Well, I was on a roll today, so presenting to you: chapter 14! Oooh… You're in trouble now, Krillin!

Don't forget to review!

P.S. "talking", ("telepathy")

* * *

**Chapter 14: NOOOOO!**

"Goku is not here!"

"Oh, but we think he is, my green friend"

"Goku is sick," the Namek growled, "he can't fight you now! I will take over for him"

"Don't be stupid, Piccolo." 17 smirked, "We have no business with you or your friends." He glanced at Susan, "Just give us the Saiyan and we'll be on our way"

Susan was still standing on the roof listening to the conversation. O boy, did he just look at her? Why did he do that? _Don't be stupid Susan!_ she thought to herself_, he's an android, created by the same freak that made that green psycho! You two are not exactly a match made in heaven, and he would probably kill you if you ever even made eye contact with him again. Those eyes… No! Snap out of it!_

"Goku is not here anymore." the big android suddenly announced.

"What did you say?" 17 blinked.

"I said: Goku is not…"

"We heard you the first time! Now, what do you mean?"

Everyone turned to the big android, who had been quiet the whole time, until now.

"Son Goku has disappeared. I detected him in that building a few minutes earlier, but he is gone now"

"Where did he go?" 18 asked

"Unknown."

Everyone was shocked by 16's annoucement. The Z-fighters tried to detect his powerlevel, but it was like he had just vanished into thin air. Instant transmission? No, Piccolo thought, he would have to raise his powerlevel, and besides that, he was still recovering from the heart virus.

("Susan!")

("…")

("SUSAN!")

("ACK! I DIDN'T DO IT! I DIDN'T…")

Susan almost fell of the roof, when her little "daydream" was interrupted by a telepathic message from Piccolo.

("You are standing right above Goku's room now, do you sense anything? Emotions maybe?")

Susan focused, but she found nothing

("Nope, all clear")

"Then where did he…")

"Hello? Anyone there? I asked you a question, Namek!"

O great, the androids were starting to get impatient. If he didn't do something right now, things would probably get ugly. Very ugly… He had to buy Goku some more time to return from wherever he was now, and Bulma still had to finish the remote. And, the longer they would wait, the longer Cell would have to…

"Alright" Piccolo said in a calm voice "We don't know where he is now, but even if we did know, we would never tell you"

"Then I guess we'll just have to make…" 17 was interrupted by a squeal from Lara, who was singing something in front of Krillin.

"Oooohhh, I know something you don't want me to know Krillin…"

"I…I have no idea what you are talking about…" he stammered.

"Teehee! Give it up Romeo," a mischievous look appeared on her face, "I'm an Uranian remember? And at this moment, I'm reading your emotions like a book, if you know what I mean…"

She winked at him and turned to 18

"Hey, android lady! If you'll let us live, I'll tell you a secret!"

"ACK! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"HEY! LEMMEGO! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

Before Lara could say anything that would be very funny, but also quite stupid, Krillin grabbed the Uranian and dragged her away from the very confused cyborg.

"Right…" 18 mumbled, after a long and painful silence

"If you guys want to fight, that's fine with me" Piccolo said, "but not here!"

"Ah, playing the hero again, aren't we?" 17 mocked, "Well, it doesn't matter where we fight, because you'll never beat us"

"Follow me!"

Piccolo took off, heading in the direction of a city, that had been emptied by Cell. Hundreds of innocent people had been killed by him, there was no reason giving the androids a chance to increase the number of deaths even more.

**_Meanwhile on Voyager…_**

"Janeway to Sickbay, do we have her?"

"Uhm…not exactly…"

"What do you mean by that, lieutenant Paris?"

"We thought we had a lock on Lara's signal, but instead…"

"What?"

"You better come here and see for yourself Captain…"

* * *

A/N: This is getting a bigger mess every minute! Will Krillin's secret be safe much longer with Lara being, well…uhm…herself? Will Piccolo be able to defeat the androids? What's going on in Sickbay? Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	15. Count down

A/N: Chapter 15 already! I'm a lean mean writing machine (ahem)!

P.S. Some people asked me if the Borg are going to be in the story… well, you'll just have to find out for yourself ;)

* * *

**Chapter 15: Count down**

"This guy is…something else…"

Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine were standing next to Tom Paris, who was running every scan he could think of on the strange black-haired man they had beamed to sickbay. They made a few highly experimental adjustments to the transporters and expected to beam up Lara, but for some reason, this guy had appeared. Unfortunateley, the transporters could not handle it, and now they were even further off than before. Seven thought this little "mix up" was due to that strange electrical interference, but later they discovered that this stranger was actually emitting some of it! It was a lot weaker, they could barely scan it, but it was definitely there! And there was more: he was not human…

"Seven…" Janeway started, "do you have any idea what…"

"No Captain, I do not. The Borg have never encountered his species before, at least not when I was still part of the Collective"

The man suddendly groaned, and chutched his heart.

"Tom, what's wrong with him?"

"Its something with his heart captain… a virus, but it's not that bad. I already devised a treatment, and I'm pretty sure it will work"

"I see you've been paying attention to the doctors lessons for once?"

"just one time Captain, I promise it will never happen again." Tom grinned, and grabbed a hypospray. "There, he should be fine in a few hours"

"In the mean time, run some more tests on him until we know who and what we are dealing with here"

"Aye, Captain"

* * *

"yo, Doc! Found anything?" 

"My tricorder isn't picking Goku up yet, and will you please stop using the word 'yo'?"

"_Excuse moi_? We are about to die and you are complaining about my gramma…OWW!"

"Don't say that Lara!" Susan chided, " No one is going to die!"

She jumped of the roof and slapped Lara in the face. She had wanted to join the others earlier but she had to suppress her emotions before she could come near Lara. Her sister had detected "something" about Krillin earlier (later, she found out that it was love, but she wasn't exactly in the position to point the finger at him) and if Lara ever found out about…  
Susan shuddered.

"HEY!" Lara yelled

"Sorry sis, but you were hysterical"

"I WAS NOT!"

"WAS TO!"

"WAS NOT!"

"TO!"

"NOT!"

"TO!"

"NOT!"

"TO!"

"NOT!"

"TO TIMES INFINITY!"

"NOT TIMES INFINITY PLUS ONE!"

Suddenly ChiChi stepped in and whacked them both with her Evil Frying Pan Of Death

"OWW!"

"Look at the pretty birdies…"

"Will you two knock it off already? We have more important things to do!" she looked like she was about to cry, "My poor Goku is missing!"

"Your 'poor Goku' is just fine, ma'am"

"What?"

Everyone looked at the Doctor, who was still holding his tricorder

"I just finished a long range scan for his DNA, and he is in a city only a few miles from here"

"really?" Krillin asked

"Yes! And he's not alone. That 'Piccolo' fellow is with him and so is Gohan, Krillin and…" he looked up in complete horror and gulped, "…everyone else…"

They all froze in fear. Cell was on his way and with Goku, and Piccolo absent, there was absolutely no way anyone could stop him from getting Susan and Lara.

"Alright, everyone stay calm!" Susan said, her voice was trembling.

"He's getting closer," the Doctor continued, "at his current speed, it will be…about 45 minutes before he gets here"

"You're not helping, Doc…"

"I don't see why you two are so anxious!" Master Roshi chuckled, "I'll protect you!"

He tried to grab Lara, but took a direct hit from Chi Chi's frying pan

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT OLD MAN!"

"Hey," Lara whispered to Susan, "maybe she wants to fight Cell?"

"You really hate him _that_ much?" she jokingly replied

They both looked at ChiChi, who was still chasing Master Roshi all over Capsule Corp. ("GET BACK HERE YOU PERVERT!") and laughed so hard that the Doctor almost had to sedate them.

"WHAHAHA! Uhm…right…" Susan wheezed "what are we going to do?"

"Uhm...besides running and screaming?"

A few minutes later…

They all sat down. Everyone knew that just flying away was not going to buy them much time since Cell would sense where they were going. They thought about using one of Bulma's airplanes to escape until the Doctor realised something:

"Susan?"

"What?"

"Didn't you say that your friends could lower their 'powerlevels'?"

"We're already doing that!" Gohan told him, "There is no way Cell could sense us now, unless we would fly or do something else that requires ki"

"So how does he know we are here?" he asked, "Susan and Lara are not in control of their 'ki', is it possible that he is sensing them?"

"I doubt it!" Bulma said "when I was with them in that hotel room, Cell was only a few feet away and he _still_ had a lot of trouble finding us!"

"Bulma has a point" Susan noted, "there is no way he could find us, unless he had some kind of tracking devi…uh oh…"

Everyone glared at Lara. It wasn't just any dark glare they gave her, it was one of those better-run-while-you-are-still-breathing-glares.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing sis… just remind me to ask Cell to kill you first…"

Another few minutes later…

"30 minutes…"

"Stop it Doc! You're making me nervous"

"You should thank me, Lara. When your adrenaline is rising, your strength and speed will increase dramatically"

"Well, something tells me that not even all the adrenaline in the entire world is going to be enough to save us"

She turned to Susan

"Any luck sis?"

"Sorry, he's just to far away…"

Realising that the closer Cell was getting to them, the closer he was going to get to Piccolo and the androids (the city they went to, was not that far away), Susan was desperately trying to warn him about the approaching danger, using telepathy, but she had been unable to reach him so far. It wouldn't be long now 'till Cell could sense him fighting 'something' that had no powerlevel and come to the obvious conclusion that it had to be the androids.

"25 minutes…"

"If only Trunks and Vegeta…"

Susan looked at Bulma… was she crying?

"Bulma?"

No answer, she just looked at Susan with a blank stare.

"ENOUGH!" Lara suddenly shouted, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm NOT just going to stay here like a sitting duck and do nothing about it!"

"And I suppose you have a plan?" Yamcha said sarcastically

"As a matter of fact, I do! Chi Chi: you are going to take the fastest airplane Bulma has, find Vegeta and Trunks and tell them to get their Saiyan butts over here! Susan: you find Piccolo and the androids and warn them about Cell! Bulma: you, me and the Doctor are going to stay here and do everything we can to build that remote and to contact Voyager. The Delta Flyer's communication system might be broken but the Doctor still has his combadge, maybe we can boost it's range somehow. Krillin, Gohan, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu: you're going to find Cell and hold him off for as long as you can. Even if you can't beat him, you'll at least buy the others some time. Any questions?"

(crickets are chirping in the background)

"Good, then lets move out people! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!"

"Uhm…sergeant Lara?" Chi Chi raised her hand "How do I find Trunks and Vegeta? I can't sense powerlevels!"

"Oops… I forgot about that…" she mumbled and scratched behind her head, "Gohan, can you sense them?"

"Yeah…I think so"

"Then you will go with your mother"

"And how am I going to find Piccolo?" Susan asked, "We can't sense powerlevels either, remember?"

"ARGH! Do I have to do everything around here? Just scan the environment for a lot of anger, Piccolo is bound to be pissed of and since the rest of the city is probably completely deserted, there are no other emotions to distract you"

"Hmm, guess you're not that stupid after all…

"I HEARD THAT!"

* * *

A/N Lara has a plan? Somebody pinch me! Will Bulma and her 'crew' be able to fix the remote and contact Voyager? Will Chi Chi and her son find Vegeta and Trunks before it's to late? How is Piccolo doing against the androids? And what about Goku? Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	16. A new threat

**A/N** No reviews this time? I'm not begging you to (well, maybe just a little…) but I would really like to know what you think of new chapters. Things are starting to get interesting! Susan is on her way to warn Piccolo, Lara, Bulma and the Doctor are working to build the remote and in the mean time, the others are trying to keep Cell at bay. It might not be foolproof (and it's definitely not Uranian proof) but hey, at least things can't get any worse, can they…hey! What are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you be bugging Species 8472 or somethi….AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!

* * *

**Chapter 16: A new threat**

Standing on earth, the opening of the rift seemed like a shooting star, or maybe even early fireworks, but if you took a closer you could vaguely see a grey ship, shaped like a diamond, emerge from what looked like a tear in a enormous pitch-black blanket that protectively covered the planet.

"What the…"

The old hobo looked at the sky, studying the strange phenomenon. He now noticed that three more vessels emerged from the rift. Two cubes and one sphere. Suddenly, they all disappeared and he was left alone with the stars again.

"That's it, no more booze for me…"

He lay down on the sidewalk, in front of the electronics store. He took one last look at the TV's that were on display: it didn't matter what channel they were on, they only thing that was broadcasted now, was news about the strange monster that had been terrorizing cities on the other side of the world. It did not matter if you were rich of poor, no one there was safe. It felt strange, sleeping quietly under the night sky, while on the other side of the planet, people were running for their lives in broad daylight. But then again, that wasn't his problem…

* * *

The Queen's upper torso slowly descended from the ceiling as her body reassembled itself. She sighed almost in relief as the only organic part of her body connected with its cybernetic limbs. A few days ago, the Borg had received some strange signals on their sensors. It looked like someone was using their technology. The Queen knew there was only one ship in the entire quadrant that could have obtained their well guarded secrets: Voyager. 

This was not the first time they had resorted to Borg technology, there were numerous occasions she had picked something up, but this readings were absolutely of the scale. She could not tolerate this abuse any longer. Tracking the signal, she had set an intercept course, only to find Voyager vanished into thin air. After tracing their warp signal, she found a interdimensional rift leading to a very interesting planet, with even more interesting life forms.

The Queen took another look at the view screen, which showed a television broadcast about a strange creature unlike anything the Borg had ever encountered or assimilated. It was amazingly strong, and appeared to have some kind of internal weapons system that allowed it to fire energy bolts through it hands. It used its tail to somehow "drain" humans that were foolish enough to stand in its way. But what really caught her attention was his ability to fly. The only species the Borg had encountered that could do that, were those two girls Voyager had "saved" from assimilation. Her expression darkened at that particular word.

They were fools! Humans did not knew what it was like to be Borg! They had denied the two Uranians (that was the name of their species, according to the shuttle they managed to assimilate before Captain Janeway had interfered) the chance to leave behind their trivial lives and to become part of something far more greater. But it didn't matter. They would get a second chance soon enough…

* * *

"I'm hungry!" 

"You just ate an entire pot of Leola root stew!"

"But that was 30 minutes ago!"

From a distance, Captain Janeway looked at Neelix and their visitor, whose name was "Goku". The treatment had worked and the "Saiyan" had explained a few things about him and his planet. It looked like this dimension was constantly being attacked by aliens, monsters and now two androids called 17 and 18 that he was supposed to fight. Captain Janeway obviously did not believe him, until he walked trough the level 10 force field that they had set up around sickbay, without even noticing it was there ("what? Why are you looking at me like that?"). He didn't mean any harm, but after accidentally overloading three replicators and blowing up half of Sickbay ("ACK! Get that away from me!" "its just a hypospray Goku, we don't use needles anymore in our…" "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!") she had decided to let him stay in the Mess hall were Neelix could keep him occupied, until she had found a way get the transporters back online and fix this mess.

"Oh, hello there Captain!" Neelix chirped, "What can I get you?"

"Coffee, black"

"You really should not drink so much…"

"NOW!"

"Aye, Captain…"

"Goku, can we speak for a moment?"

"Swfute Capfwain!"

She barely managed to hide her disgust when she saw him chuffing down Voyagers food supply. If he would keep eating at this rate, they would have to get out the emergency rations! These Saiyans were quite a remarkable race, but they had absolutely no table manners whatsoever.  
Goku quickly swallowed his last bite of Yorkshire Pudding.

"Hehehe, sorry…" he said sheepishly

She smiled

"At least someone likes Neelix his cooking"

"So, what is it?" he asked, "Did you find a way to get me back to Earth?"

"I'm sorry, when we transported you here, the power relays completely fused. It's going to take B'elanna at least two days to fix them"

"Then I will use my Instant Transmission"

"You will not, B'elanna has reason to believe that you travelling at the speed of light while in the proximity of a warp core can cause a chain reaction that will destroy us all"

Goku blinked.

"How can that be?"

"The laws of physics in your dimension are different than the ones in our dimension. _You _can just travel at the speed of light without a problem, but at our place, antimatter, subspace and a lot of other unstable elements are involved. There's no telling what would happen if you would use your "Instant Transmission" when close to one of those, even if I would shut all systems down"

"But… I can fly! Can't you give me a spacesuit or something?"

"I'm sorry, but those were destroyed when we went trough the rift, along with the almost all of the shuttlecrafts"

"_Almost_ all?"

She sighed.

"Yes, we had one left but our Doctor took it to search for Susan and Lara"

"Those…what did you call them...'Uranians'?"

"Yes, he left one day ago but we haven't heard from him since"

"Maybe the androids got him… Captain! I have to get back! Gohan and the others…"

"We're doing the best we can Goku, I promise"

She looked at Neelix, who was still making her coffee

"Neelix!"

"Yes, Captain!"

"About my coffee?"

"Hmm?"

"Make that five"

"Captain!"

"Do it! And someone please get me some painkillers, I have a major headache…"

* * *

**A/N:** Hello, this is SuperSanne's answering machine, I am not here right now so leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. 


	17. Time’s up!

A/N: My designation is 4 of 6. Existence as you know it is over. We will add your positive and negative reviews to our own. Resistance is futile.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Time's up!**

"Oh boy, you really got yourself in a mess this time Susan…"

Susan looked at the deserted streets of Cinnamon Town. It was only a few miles from Capsule Corp and of all the places in the world, Piccolo apparently had picked this one to duke it out with the androids. _Great_, she thought. _If Cell gets much closer to Lara and the others, he will sense Piccolo for sure!_ She carefully scanned the environment. Not being able to sense powerlevels, she tried to sense Piccolo's emotions. That wasn't very difficult because the city was empty (and so there were no other emotions besides his), but her sensing abilities weren't very accurate. She knew they were somewhere in this city but it would take her forever to find them unless she flew (and even then it would be difficult!). But then again, could she really take the risk? She had no idea of Cells whereabouts and maybe he was already busy trying to track down Piccolo and the androids! She did not want to help him pinpointing their exact location by giving him another "beacon".

Susan closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could. Yes… they were definitely close… but where? Every time she thought she was heading in the right direction, they seemed to move away again, too fast for her to keep up. Yep, this was definitely not going to work. ("Piccolo!") Susan shouted telepathically, ("Piccolo please, please, PLEASE answer me!"). No response, he was still too far away or too busy to notice his "incoming call". She had no choice but to fly, even though it was extremely risky…

* * *

"Gohan, are you serious?" 

"Yes! Cell has Lara's tricorder, and he's closing in on us!"

Gohan and ChiChi looked at the two Saiyans they had interrupted during their training. Or rather, Vegeta was interrupted since he refused to let Trunks train with him.

"I don't care about these 'Uranians', or whatever you call them." Vegeta snapped, "I say, let Cell absorb the androids so we only have one enemy to destroy and if those girls get in the way, that's just to bad"

"And what about Bulma!" Trunks shot back, "what if she 'gets in the way' when Cell arrives at Capsule Corporation?"

Vegeta felt something in his chest, like his hart had skipped a few beats and was now trying to catch up. Of course, he tried his best to hide it from the others. He was a Saiyan warrior! He had to train, he had to surpass Kakarrot, he had to…

"YOU WILL COME WITH US RIGHT NOW MISTER!"

"What are you…OWW! OWW! OWW! LET GO OF ME WOMAN!"

Before anyone knew what happened, ChiChi had lunged at Vegeta and a few minutes later, the Prince of all Saiyans was dragged back to the airplane by his royal ears while Gohan and Trunks just stood there trying not to look _too_ amused (lol!).

* * *

"Man, this place gives me the creeps" 

Yamcha, Tien, Krillin and Chiaotzu nervously scanned the environment for any movements. They were already on edge before, but a few minutes go, when Yamcha apparently thought that it would be "funny" to sneak up on Tien and yell "BOO!", things had only gone downhill from there.

"I don't get it, he should be here by now…" Tien said, agitated.

"Maybe he sensed us and took a detour" Chiaotzu suggested.

"No way," Yamcha argued, "we kept our powerlevels hidden all the time and he can't use that tricorder, since he can only have either Piccolo's, Lara's or Susans DNA to scan and…"

They all looked at each other in horror. How on Earth could they be so stupid! They thought he could only track one of those three because they were the only ones that he had encountered so far, but they had completely forgotten that Cell possessed all of the Z-fighters DNA! The only thing he had to do, was to scan for himself! They closed their eyes, and concentrated like they never concentrated before. After what seemed like almost an hour they finally picked something up.

"I…I think I found him" Tien said

"Yeah… I can also sense him now, just…barely" Krillin said, trying his best to focus on the extremely faint energy signal, "He's moving away from us… he's heading for…" Suddenly he gasped, "O, NO!"

* * *

"Finished!" 

Bulma whiped the sweat from her forehead and carefully examined the remote. Normally, it would have taken her hours to build it, but with Lara to assist her (her engineering classes were finally paying off) she was able to get the job done a lot faster. Also, the doctor had found a way to boost it's range, using some parts from his tricorder, even though you still had to get within 50 meters of the androids for it to work.

"Here!" Bulma handed the remote to Lara, "Go after Susan and disable the androids, while we work on establishing communications with Voyager"

"ACK! Wait a minute!" she protested, "Why do I have to go out and face those psycho's?"

"Because you're the only one that has a chance of finding them without a tricorder and we disassembled the latter to power up the remote, remember?"

"Well, I still…"

Suddenly, they heard something. It sounded like glass breaking. After that, screams could be heard throughout the entire building and then…silence.

"That can't be good…" Lara mumbled

"Bulma!" the Doctor shouted, "Do you have a security system here?"

"Yeah," she replied and rushed to a nearby computer, "I'll try to access the camera's, see what's going on!"

Bulma quickly entered several commands, but all she got was a very faint signal from the camera in the main hall. Horrified, they looked at the screen.

"_What was that?"_

"_Was what, Daniel?"_

"_That noise…"_

"_I didn't hear anything….ARGH! HELP ME!"_

"_NO! PETE! You monster! What have you… n-n-no…please! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"_

After absorbing the two employees, Cell smirked and looked straight into the camera.

"_See you in a few minutes, my dear"_

A blinding flash of light filled the screen and all they saw after that was static. He had destroyed the camera and they would be next. Lara did not scream or faint, she only uttered two little words:

"Oh, crap…"


	18. Thousands of powerlevels? Uh oh…

A/N: Whahaha! I got you there! (grins evilly) You thought I was assimilated, didn't you? April Fools! (some random reader points out that it's already the fifth) What do you mean, its…Oops! Hehehe… (smiles nervously)  
P.S. "talking", _"telepathy", thinking_

* * *

**Chapter 18: Thousands of powerlevels? Uh oh…**

"Computer! Locate Son Goku"

"Son Goku is in Holodeck Two"

"Uh oh…"

Captain Janeway rushed trough the corridors, still remembering what had happened to Holodeck One, when Goku had requested to train, and since no one on Voyager was strong enough, Harry had made him a program featuring a strange guy called 'Frieza' which Goku had described. Unfortunately, even the safety protocols weren't enough to protect the ship from the power of a Super Saiyan, and Frieza, along with Holodeck One, was destroyed.

Darn! Why weren't those transporters online yet! Goku was very kind and easy-going (he had no problem with wearing a combadge and even sharing quarters with Neelix, since she wanted someone to keep an eye on him) and, polite as he was, tried to do his best to be as "invisible" as he could, but she still feared he would destroy half the ship if they didn't find a way to get him back to Earth soon…

She stepped into the Holodeck, expecting a gaping hole in the hull, but instead found Goku playing Kadis-Kot with Naomi Wildman in Flotters Forest.

"Captain!" Naomi jumped up from her chair, almost tripping over her own feet

"At ease, crewman" the Captain grinned.

"Goku," she asked, "where's Neelix? He was supposed to watch you"

"I was hungry, so he went to get me something to eat"

"Why am I not surprised…" she sighed

"I can't help it Captain," he looked at her sheepishly, "its my Saiyan metabolism and…huh?"

"Goku?"

"Something's wrong" he mumbled, "… very wrong…"

"What do you mean?"

"Someone is coming this way…or no wait… it's not one person but…hundreds…no, thousands…"

"Who? Who's coming Goku!"

"Their powerlevel…no I mean powerlevels are extremely low, even lower than that of humans, but when they are together I can sense them…barely…but It's almost like 'm picking up one person," he shook his head, "its so confusing…"

"Are they friendly?"

"I'll try to sense if…uh oh…"

She already knew what he was going to answer. Thousands of small signals, but yet it was like he only sensed one big one. That gave her a pretty good idea who she was dealing with here. Also, she had learned that the interference that was disrupting their sensors, was actually the extreme amount of ki that Goku's friends possessed. After finding out about that one, she had asked him to tell her how ki was generated. He told her that you could train to increase your ki, but that only living beings could possess it. Therefore, if someone or something had an extremely low ki, or no ki at all, it could mean only three things: one, the subject was dead or had never been alive. Two: the subject was alive, but used some kind of special technique or maybe a device to keep his/her ki low. Three: the subject was not entirely organic but had most of his/her organic tissue replaced with cybernetic replacements. Borg implants, for example. She tapped on her combadge.

"Captain to the bridge! Red alert!"

* * *

"WHATAREWEGONNADO!" 

"I could sedate him?"

"Yhm…don't count on it Doc"

"The camera's… they're not working! Nothing is working!"

Bulma franticly kept entering commands into her computer, but apparently, Cell had already found the main control room and destroyed everything in sight. The phone was not working, all the elevators had stopped dead in their tracks and to make matters worse, Bulma's computer had just crashed.

"Lara, what are you waiting for you idiot!" Bulma yelled at the Uranian, "fly us out of here!"

"O, great idea!" Lara exclaimed, rolling her eyes, " I'll just raise my powerlevel so he won't even _need_ my tricorder to find us!"

"But, you're faster than he is! By the time he…"

"Only when I'm on my own, and even then just by a little bit. It will only be a matter of time before I get tired and he can track me down with my tricorder while I'm too exhausted to escape"

"So… what do you suggest we do then?"

"I don't know! Why don't you and the Doctor think of something while I panic for the three of us"

* * *

"Why do the cute ones always have to be evil…" 

Well hidden in a small and dark alley, Susan looked at the sky and kept staring at Piccolo and 17, or well… just 17 actually. After a long search, she had finally found them. _But now what?_ she thought to herself_. I have to warn them about Cell, but if I do that, Piccolo will try even harder to destroy the androids. Then again, if I don't, Cell will find us here, and absorb them. Either way, 17 will die! O, no…_

Susan sat down behind a garbage bin, lowering her head and pulling her knees to her chest. What was she going to do now! Her brain was telling her to get out there and tell Piccolo about the approaching danger, her heart was telling her to do everything in her power to protect 17, even if it meant fighting both Cell and Piccolo herself. Suddenly, It happened.  
The big android with the orange hair said something, and everyone looked at her.

"SUSAN! GET OUT OF THERE!" Piccolo shouted, but only a split second later, 18 kicked him in the gut and send him flying into a abandoned warehouse. Susan was about to make a run for the street but 17 landed right in front of her. When she turned back, she saw that the ally was closed of by a very high fence. Just flying out wasn't an option either, because that big android was still hovering in the air.

"Going somewhere?" he smirked arrogantly

"Uhm… maybe, who wants to know?"

_ACK! Why did I say that? It sounded like I stole it from a movie!_

"Huh?"

_O, great… If he didn't thought I was an idiot at Capsule Corp, than he sure does think I'm one now!_

"I…just…"

He grinned evilly.

"Say goodbye…"

17 raised his hand in frond of Susans face, a blue light was forming and kept growing into a ball.

"ACK! WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! THERE'S SOMETHING I HAVE TO TELL YOU!"

He frowned.

"And what would that be?"

"There's a monster that's going to kill us all, his name is Cell and he is from the future like me and my sister and if he absorbs you and your sister, he will become a perfect…"

He sweatdropped, and as the expression of confusion on his face grew, Susan knew she was dead.

("Help!")

Susan suddenly heard someone talking in her head. It was soft, she could barely hear it. She tried to focus with everything she had. It sounded like her sister. Normally, telepathy didn't work when they were this far apart, but because they were family their bond was very strong.

("Building…Cell…here…")

"LARA! NO!"

"Who's Lara?"

"She's my sister!" Susan panicked, "Cell's at Capsule Corp! I have to…"

She was about to fly away, but 17 grabbed her wrist and hold her back.

"You weren't planning on running from me, were you?"

"Just watch me!"

Susan screamed, kicked, smacked and even tried to bite him but he refused to let go.

"Please…"

They looked at each other. Tears were streaming down Susan's face.

"Let me go, I have to help her… I'll return, I promise…"

"How do I know that?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You have my word of honour"

"That's not what I meant, If this 'Cell', assuming he exists, is that strong he will kill you before I get my chance to do so"

"Thank you for reminding me…"

A misschievous grin slowly spread across his face.

"Guess I'll just have to come with you"

Susan blinked, her mind trying to double-check the signals it just had received from her ears.

"E-Excuse me?" she stammered.

"Well," he shrugged, " You wat to save your sister and I want to see this big bad Cell for myself, and I need make sure you don't try to escape"

He smirked and turned to 18, who had caught Piccolo by surprise and was beating the living daylights out of him. It was obvious that he was getting tired while the androids seemed to have infinite energy. Uh oh…

"Hey sis!"

"What?"

"I'm going to take care of some business, try not to kill our green friend, he still has to tell us where Goku is"

He turned to Susan

"Let's not keep them waiting too long"

"But Cell will…EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

He grabbed her by her wrist again and took of into the air. Wow! He was fast! Even faster than she was, and she had never seen that before in her entire life! Maybe they did stand a chance against that creep! How she was going to get rid of the one that was dragging her along now, she would think of later…

* * *

**A/N:** Things are looking bad for our heroines! Again! Man, they don't ever get a break, do they? Will Captain Janeway be able to fight of the Borg and keep Goku from destroying her ship? Will Lara ever start to act normal? (Lara yells something that would make this fic's rating go trough the roof if I put it here) Will Susan learn how to control her emotions and start using her brains? (don't count on it)  
Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	19. 39,1 Degrees Celsius

**A/N **Big chapter this time! And this one will have you sitting on the edge of your seat (at least I hope so). Don't forget to review and let me know what you think, I would really appreciate it.

P.S. I had some e-mails from people saying that my English has been improving, I'm very glad to hear that! The one thing I still have trouble with is "where", "were" and "we're". For some reason I keep mixing those up. They look so much alike, but I'll figure it out someday! Practise makes perfect (it's just to bad no one told Cell, lol)

**Isesage:** You're welcome, I love writing this story! The original plot would only take about 5 chapters, but with every chapter I write, more ideas pop up in my head. This story will be updated for a very long time, and I'm even working on a sequel :)

* * *

**Chapter 19: 39.1 Degrees Celsius**

"By the way, you never told me"

"Huh?"

"Your name, you never told me your name. That Namek called you 'Susan', is that correct?"

"Uhm… yeah…"

"You're not very talkative, are you?"

Still being dragged along by the black haired android, Susan only listened every now and then. 17 was obviously just toying with her and she had more important things on her mind. Lara had stopped calling for help, which could mean only two things: one, she was too busy trying to hold of Cell, or two, she had already tried to hold Cell off and failed. Susan tried to be optimistic. Capsule Corp was a huge building, there were lots of places Lara, Bulma and the Doctor could hide and… uh oh.. that's right, Cell had their tricorder and could track her DNA. Bulma maybe had a slim chance if she stayed out of Lara's way, and the Doctor would be safe as long as his mobile emitter wasn't damaged, but her sister was definitely done for if they would not get there in time.

"Hello?" the android scowled at her, "I asked you a question"

"Sorry, I was distracted…"

"What are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"you are _almost_ (he emphasised the word 'almost') as fast as me, and yet 16 could barely detect your powerlevel. You claim to be from the future, and a few minutes ago you even proved to be a telepath. For a mere human, you are rather interesting"

"Who said I was human?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her reply.

"Oh?"

"I'm an Uranian, my home planet is Urania, which lies somewhere in the Delta quadrant… at least in my dimension it does"

"Then what are you doing here?" 17 smirked evilly, "As you might have noticed, Earth can be a very dangerous place"

"I could ask you the same question"

He rolled his eyes in annoyance

"Argh, not that Cell story again… I already told you that the only android you should be worried about, is me"

"I am worried about you"

"That's not what I…"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU MEAN!"

Startled by Susans sudden outburst, he stopped dead and let go of her wrist, but she didn't try to escape. She just hovered in front of him, their noses almost touching. She shot him a deadly glare and backed away a few feet.

"You think this is just one big game huh?" she continued, putting both hands on her hips, "Well, let me tell you something mister: you're losing it! And do you know why? Because you are so cocky and self-centred that you wouldn't recognise a stronger player if he would paint himself purple and do a victory dance right in front of your nose!"

17 scowled. He was obvious not planning on just listening to her insulting him, but she didn't care. She was fed up with his arrogant behaviour and oh boy, was he going to get it!

"You're not taking this serious!" Susan fumed, "You don't take anything serious! Not my warnings, not your fight with Piccolo, not Cell and not even the safety of your own sister! Why else have you left her and 16 alone? 'The Namek' as you call him, might be weakened, but he's still strong and also very clever. Even you should know that's a deadly combination!"

"Hmmpf! 18 and 16 will be fine, greenbean doesn't stand a chance against…"

"NO!" Susan shouted, "They will NOT be fine, because if you keep underestimating Cell, he will absorb all of you and then no one will be spared!"

17 blinked a few times, but then suddenly closed his eyes and smirked.

"It is funny though…"

"What?"

"You have been lecturing me for almost 10 minutes now about safety, but _I'm_ not the one that has almost _begged_ her enemy to let her go so she can fly towards her own death. According to 16, your sister is even weaker than you. She will probably be dead by the time you get to Capsule Corp, so what's the use of going there and getting yourself killed? Since I'm apparently a brainless idiot, why haven't you just asked me to let you go nicely instead of kicking and biting me?"

17 opened his eyes again and shrugged his shoulders

"Who knows, I might have actually been stupid enough to grant your request…" he grinned, "But then again… probably not"

"I would rather die trying to save the ones I care for, than not knowing what caring is at all!" Susan spat, "Lara would do the same for me". She looked him straight in the eyes, "That's one of the many, MANY reasons I would rather kill myself than to become a part of Cell. He is an android, he doesn't care about anyone but himself, just like you! Now that I think about it, maybe you _should_ ignore my warning because you two are just MADE FOR EACH OTHER!"

Almost immediately, Susan felt his hand around her throat and realised she had pushed her luck too far. Spots started dancing before her eyes as she desperately struggled to breathe. His grin faded.

"Any last words?"

"You…really…are…a...brainless…idiot…"

Suddenly, his grip loosened and he let her go. Susan coughed and gasped for air.

"(gasp) W…what (cough)…why…"

"I'll let you live this time, but don't get your hopes up. The only reason I'm showing you mercy, is so that you can see for yourself that I'm the strongest android ever to have walked the face of the earth. After that, it's lights out for you and your friends"

He extended his hand, Susan flinched but he ignored it.

"I don't think you are going to run," he said, "so I will let you fly by yourself if you want to, but this will be a lot faster"

Susan looked at his hand, still hesitating.

"Come on, I don't have all day and that probably goes for your sister as well"

That did the trick. Susan took a deep breath and placed her hand in his. 17 took of and about 10 minutes later, the yellow dome that was Capsule Corporation finally came into view.

* * *

"All clear" 

"Good, lets move!"

As quietly as they could, Lara, Bulma and the Doctor tiptoed from room to room. Lara had sent a message to Susan, hoping that she would bring reinforcements, but because they did not know if her power level had risen when she summoned her psychic powers, they had to make sure and leave the the flyer in which they had been hiding. Now, the Doctor was walking in front of them, looking around corners to see if it was safe. He was a hologram, so if Cell was lurking in one of the corridors, he would be safe as long as he would keep him from blowing up his mobile emitter. Behind the Doctor was Bulma followed by Lara who was 'scanning' the environment for negative energy.

They entered the main control room and, unfortenatly, it looked like Bulma was right. Cell had been here and destroyed every computer he could find. Scattered across the deserted chamber, were broken keyboards, monitors and clothes with holes in them.

"This isn't going to work" Bulma sighed defeated.

"These computers aren't the only machines Cell has broken…" Lara stated, wiping the sweat from her forehead, "It's getting awfully warm in here!"

"I think we have bigger things to worry about than…"

"Shhh!"

"What is it?"

Everyone looked at the Doctor, who was gesturing them to come to the door and look around the corner. When they did, they saw Cell standing in the corridor. He had his back turned to them and he seemed to be in deep thought. When they took a better look, they saw that he was holding Lara's tricorder and was scanning something.

"Hmm? That is strange…" they heard him wondering out loud, "I can sense she's around here somewhere, but this thing isn't picking her up anymore…"

Lara turned her head and looked at Bulma, who had gone back into the room and was tampering with a few broken computers and a hairpin from one of the absorbed employees that had been laying on the floor. She looked back and gave Lara a thumbs up. The Doctors image was suddenly starting to fade, but Bulma rushed towards him and pushed a few buttons on his emitter, stabilising his image. Lara grinned, finally getting the idea. Bulma had hooked up as many computer wrecks as she could, overloaded them, and as a result, created a huge electric field around them, which Cells tricorder to malfunction.

"It's broken?" he roared, "How can it be broken! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

He crushed the device and threw it over his shoulder, hitting the forehead of a certain Uranian, who was still peeking around the corner of the control room.

"OWW!" she yelped, "That's going to leave a mark!"

Slowly, Cell turned around and smiled at Lara, who froze on the spot.

"Well, how about that?"

"Uhm… before you do anything, you have to know that I'm not really here"

"You're not?"

"Nope," Lara stepped into the corridor and spread her arms. "I'm just a figment of your imagination!"

"Uh huh…"

Cell took a step forward

"ACK! No wait, did I say figment of your imagination? I meant a mirage! Haven't you noticed how hot it is in here? Must be something with the air-conditioning or… AAAAAAAAHH!"

Cell lunged towards Lara, but she dodged him just in time.

"So, tell me Lara…" Cell disappeared and suddenly reappeared right in front of her. "Where are your little friends?"

_He can't sense them!_ She thought.

"I-I-I have n-no idea w-what you're t-t-talking about, Bulma a-and Susan h-h-have g-gone to s-search for V-Vegeta and T-trunks, I'm j-just holding d-down the f-fort" she stammered, making sure not to mention the Doctor. Cel didn't know he existed, and it would probably be a bad thing for Doc, if he ever found out.

"What direction are they heading?"

Lara pointed a shaking finger to the north

"T-that way"

"Then why can I sense those Saiyans coming from the south?"

"Hey!" she protested, "What do I look like, a travel agency?"

Lara had managed to find some courage and was back to her old self again.

"I'm an engineer, or at least I'm going to be when…"

"If you're into mechanics," Cell asked in a low raspy voice, "then maybe you can tell me what this is?"

Lara suddenly noticed what he had been scanning: it was a small black device with a red button. The remote to disable the androids!

"HOW DID YOU GET THAT!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, I found it near your ship in that workshop, next to some very interesting blueprints of android 17"

_Uh oh…_ Lara thought._ Bulma must have let it fell out of her pocket when we left in such a hurry_

"Blueprints? What blueprints? Hehehe…"

Cell scowled and stalked closer to the terrified Uranian

"I think I'ts safe to say that this thing is not for the TV, am I right?"

"Uhmm…maybe…?"

"Well, I doesn't matter," he smirked, "because soon you won't be needing it anymore"

Cell crushed the remote, crumbling it like a cookie (A/N: Hmm, maybe I should not write these things when I'm hungry…). Yep, this was definitely not going according to plan!

Just as she thought it could not get any worse, the impossible happened.

"_Kggzrr…hear me?...kggrrsszz…Chakotay to…krrgssz…Doctor!"_

Lara felt the blood draining from her face. From the control room, she could hear Chakotay's voice through the Doctors combadge. Unfortunately, Cell noticed it too.

"_Krrgg…followed us….kggzzrr…escape po...krrzzgg…transpor…" _

Cell slowly headed towards Bulma (and the Doctor), hoping to "surprise" her, but it was then, when Lara suddenly did, what no one had expected, and what was probably the bravest thing she had ever done in her entire life.

"That woman will regret the day she tried to disable…WHAT THE? GET OF ME! NOW!"

Lara had jumped on Cells back, clinging to his head while trying to cover his eyes.

"BULMA! HE KNOWS YOU'RE HERE! RUN!"

In the confusion that followed, no one was paying attention to the increasing humidity of the air. No one noticed that the lights started to flicker, and no one noticed that the temperature inside the building had stopped rising.

It was now at 39.1 degrees Celsius…

* * *

**A/N** Uh oh… I think we all know what species prefers a temperature like that inside their cubes…Lara! Get out of there! (receives evil glare from Cell) Uhm… right, sorry to interrupt, hehehe…(smiles nervously and quickly hides under her desk). 


	20. Resistance is futile

**A/N: **Yeah… It's been only a few days ago but I just had to update. I've mostly written action, adventure, sci-fi and humor, but this chapter will be quite angsty and a bit sad (but still with a little bit of humor). This will be one of the most important chapters in the entire story, so please don't forget to review it, your support is what keeps this stressed (and hungry…I still can't find my cookies) authoress going.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Resistance is futile**

"Shields are down, weapons are offline!"

"They locked on to us with a tractor beam!"

"Captain, we're being hailed!"

Captain Janeway tried to look as calm and collected as possible, hoping to trick her crew into thinking that she had everything under control, even though she knew they were not buying it.

"On screen!"

The view of the Borg cube that had been attacking them, was replaced with static.

"Our sensors are damaged Captain," Kim stated, "I'll try to…"

Harry was interrupted by a female voice, Kathryn knew all too well.

"Hello, Captain…"

The static vanished and the Borg Queen appeared on the view screen, smiling at the terrified crew.

"It's been to long…"

"What do you want?" Janeway snapped at her more harshly than she had intended. _Nice job keeping your cool there, Kathryn…_ she thought to herself.

"Tsk, Tsk!" The Queen chided. "Where are your Starfleet manners, Captain? What I want is… information"

Janeway raised an eyebrow, curious about the Queens request.

"Go on?"

"When we arrived in this dimension, and scanned for your location, we picked up something quite interesting," she paused, "if you have been watching Earths television, then you probably have seen this strange, almost grasshopper-like being that has been hunting the inhabitants"

Captain Janeway was confused. A grasshopper that terrorized Earth? First, she thought that the Queen was talking about the androids, but then she remembered that Goku told her they looked like humans. She was not eager to inform her that their sensors were broken, but she had to know what was going on here.

"We had some… technical difficulties I'm afraid"

"A strange electrical interference? Yes, we had similar problems, but we adapted"

"How fascinating"

The Queen scowled at the Captains sarcastic response.

"This being is the main source of the interference, however, we have detected another source on Voyager"

Captain Janeway felt her blood run cold. Goku! She was talking about Goku!

"We would like to meet it," the sinister woman continued. "Comply, or be…"

"Over my dead body!" Janeway shouted. She turned to Harry. "End transmission!"

"The Borg are firing weapons," Tuvok reported

_"Torres to the bridge!"_

Kathryn tapped her combadge

"Janeway here"

_"I just finished repairing the escape pods, but their shields are barely functioning. If we launch them now, there is a risk that…AAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!"_

"B'Elanna? B'Elanna?" She franticly tapped her combadge again, "Janeway to Engineering, please respond!"

There was a response alright, not just trough her combadge but it could be heard trough the entire ship, sending chills down her spine.

_"We are the Borg, existence as you know it is over. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is futile"_

"We'll see about that…" she mumbled. "Tuvok, send a security team down to engineering to check what's going on there. Maybe…"

"Captain!"

She was interrupted by Naomi, who came running onto the bridge. Tears were streaming down her face. Captain Janeway tried to comfort her.

"Shh…shh… it's alright" she said as she held her.

Naomi cried. "The Borg… they suddendly appeared on the holodeck. Goku tried to protect me, but they…assimilated Neelix and when Goku saw that, he mumbled something about 'needles' and fainted…" she continued to sob heavily. "they took them! They took Goku and Neelix!"

_No…_ the Captain thought. _Impossible…_

"How did you…"

"I panicked… Flotter distracted them and I crawled into a Jefferies tube…I just left them there to… to…. "

Kathryn looked at the crying child. "Naomi listen," she said, while sitting down on one knee and putting a hand on the girls shoulder "you are a very valuable member of this crew and we can not afford to lose you to. You did the right thing there"

It looked like this made Naomi feel a little better.

"Come on, I'll get you to sickbay." She turned to her first officer. "Chakotay, you have the…"

Before she could finish her sentence, over fifty Borg drones appeared on the bridge and started to assimilate everyone in sight. Ensign Kim was the first to fall, completely surprised by the intruders. Luckily, Tuvok saw what was happening in time and managed to shoot three drones that were closing in on him, but after his fourth shot, they adapted and added the Vulcan to their collective.

A scream echoed throughout the bridge as a drone tried to assimilate Naomi Wildman, but at the last moment, Janeway pushed her aside, causing the drone to plunge his assimilation tubes in her own neck instead.

"KATHRYN!" Chakotay screamed, while hitting the drone as hard as he could, knocking it unconscious.

"O no…"

He kneeled beside his fallen friend, but there was no response. Her face was turning pale and implants already started to sprout from her cheeks. He looked at the bridge and saw that he and Naomi were the only ones left.

_"Seven of Nine to the bridge!"_

"Chakotay here!"

_"The Borg have boarded Voyager"_

"I know, there are almost thirty of them closing in on me" he said, while knocking another drone to the side.

There was brief moment of silence on the other side.

_"I'm heading for the escape pods, I think the best think to do would be to activate the self-destruct sequence and meet with me at…"_

Chakotay heard a surprised gasp and then nothing. He lowered his head. His love… they got her. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his sleeve, it was Naomi.

"Commander!" she yelled "they're coming!"

He came back to his senses. Quickly, he grabbed Naomi and left the bridge. After a few minutes of dodging drones and jumping over fallen debris, they finally reached an escape pod. He noticed that all of the other pods were still in place, the Borg had caught the crew completely off guard. This could not be happening...

"Quick, get inside Naomi!"

"But…"

"Now!"

They entered the escape pod and took off. After a few minutes, it looked like they were out of the woods until…

"Oh no, the shields!" he growled, "They're failing!"

"Why?" Naomi asked, the Borg were for some reason not firing at them so what could be causing them to drop?

"I don't…"

Chakotay paused mid-sentence. Suddenly, he remembered what B'Elanna had said about the 'barely functioning shields' and what the Collective, thanks to her, also knew. That's why they didn't attack their pod! Why waste energy? He looked at his sensors and to his relief, saw that they were so close to Earth now, that there was a small chance of reaching the Doctor.

"Chakotay to the Doctor! Can you hear me?" he said, but there was no response. "Chakotay to the Doctor! The Borg have followed us through the rift, they assimilated Voyager, Naomi and I fled in an escape pod. Everyone else is gone, they even got Captain Janeway and the transporters are…"

He only heard the faint sound of a girl yelling something (it sounded like Lara, but he wasn't sure) and then nothing. Even when they were this close, the interference was still too strong.

He turned to Naomi, but she suddenly disappeared in a flash of green light. Shortly after that, there was another flash and Seven of Nine appeared in the chair beside him. She looked at him with an empty stare. He knew why she had been send. The Queen had assimilated her memories, and probably hoped that he would not fight his former love. The small confinements of the escape pod would make it impossible to escape (or at least try to and do a lot of damage in the process), what was probably the reason he wasn't transported to the cube like Naomi.

The Queen appeared on the view screen.

"Where is she!" he yelled at her, even though he already knew the answer.

"She's with us now. Just like her mother, your dear Captain and the rest of Voyagers crew… they are all Borg"

"That's what you think," he heard himself say

"You are talking about your doctor and those Uranians?" she smiled, "Yes, they have not been added to our perfection yet, but they will be soon. When you tried to hail them, we traced the signal of your doctors combadge and pinpointed their exact location. Over 800 drones are now on Earth, tracking them down as we speak. It will only be a matter of time"

He knew she was right. Susan and Lara were extremely fast and they could fly, but 800 Borg? There was no way those two could escape and the Doctor would probably not fare much better. The only thing he could do now was…

"Computer! Activate self-destruct sequence, authorisation code…"

"It's too late for that" the woman on the view screen interrupted him, "we have already taken control of your vessel"

Shocked, he looked at the female drone beside him. She had plunged her assimilation tubes in a console and it already started to emit a green glow.

"Seven…" he tried.

"Seven of Nine… ANNIKA!"

He grabbed her arm, but she just glared at him for a brief moment and continued. The console started to look more and more like it belonged to a Borg cube.

"No…this is not happening…this is not real…" he whispered to himself

"You are alone Chakotay," the Queens voice darkened. "Resistance is futile."

The transmission ended and he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. He looked at her. She was still exactly the same. Her skin was pale and small implants had sprouted from her neck, but she still had hair, two eyes and all of her limbs. He could not fight her, he was still in love, even though she wasn't Seven anymore. She was Seven of Nine, Tertiary adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One. He had expected her to attack him, or say something 'dramatic' like "join us, Chakotay!" or "you must comply!" but she just sat there and slowly relocated her hand to the side of his face. Unable to take it anymore, he let himself collapse into her arms, crying silently. It was over…

* * *

"BULMA! HE KNOWS YOU'RE HERE! RUN!" 

"YOU LITTLE….!"

Bulma and the Doctor came out of hiding and saw Lara clinging to Cells head like she was riding a bull in a rodeo show. Unfortunately, Lara never was very good with animals (the Doctor still remembered the "petting zoo incident" when they were celebrating their shore leave on Kalari Prime three weeks ago), or evil androids that tried to destroy the world.

"What are you still doing here! GET OUT!"

"come on, Doc!" Bulma grabbed his holographic arm an dragged him away from the scene before the bio-android could spot him too. She had no idea what to do next. Lara was going to die if they left her there, but then again, what could they do? Annoy Cell to death? She just hoped Susan would forgive…

"OWW!"

Bulma suddenly bumped into someone and fell flat on her behind. She looked up and saw a strange woman blocking their path. She was wearing a tight fitting white bodysuit, with a lot of pockets and a few wires here and there. Attached to it, were her boots and gloves, no loose parts except for her matching white helmet with a blue visor that made it impossible to see her face. She even doubted for a moment that she was female, but the Doctor assured her that she was (ahem…).

"You have to get out!" she ordered, her voice was twisted by a device in her helmet. It was obvious that she didn't want to give away her identity.

Bulma scowled, "That was what we were _trying_ to do, until you…"

"Listen up and listen good because I only have time to explain this once: you can't take this corridor, you have to turn back and go through the cafeteria. When you see the men's room, go left, NOT RIGHT! Then just go straight ahead until you see emergency exits nr. 3 through 7. Be sure to use only nr. 4 or nr. 6, and get away from this building as far as you can"

"WHAT?" Bulma exclaimed, "that will take us at least 20 minutes extra!"

"If you don't do as I say, you won't reach the exit AT ALL!" the woman hissed at her. She turned to the Doctor. "If you take a look at that console over there," she pointed at a small monitor that was embedded in the wall, "you'll see what I mean."

Curious, the Doctor glanced at the screen. It was a thermostat and showed the environmental stats inside the building. After punching a few controls, his pupils dilated when he saw the temperature.

"But of course..." he said in a sarcastic tone, "very funny".

"What? What's going on?" Bulma asked

"According to our friend here," he rolled his eyes, and threw his hands up in a dramatic way, "the Borg have somehow transported down here and…". He stopped making fun of her when he noticed that she wasn't reacting at all. He could not see her face, but even though he was a hologram, he could almost feel she was getting angry.

"You…you're not kidding, are you?"

"No."

"Borg?" Bulma asked, getting tired of being ignored, "sounds Swedish…" (A/N: Hehehe, sorry… I've been watching 'Star Trek: First Contact' yesterday)

"I'll explain later, let's go!"

The Doctor grabbed Bulma's hand and headed for the cafeteria. Just before they turned around the corner, he looked back. She was gone...

* * *

**A/N:** Goku! Voyager! NOOOOOOOO! Will Bulma and the Doctor get out of Capsule Corp. in time? Will Cell kill Lara? Will anyone even survive this AT ALL? And who is this mysterious woman with the sexy outfit? Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	21. Identity revealed

**A/N:** The moment you've all been waiting for: chapter 21! Read and review!

**Nova Flame:** thanks for your review! I have been thinking of making the entire collective thinking of nothing but food or something like that, but I don't believe Goku is really that dumb, in the series, he's sometimes very clever. Emphasising the word sometimes, lol.

**Ratty:** Thanks, I'm trying to be original and I hope I'm doing a good job at it. You're Dutch? Da's een opluchting, dan ben ik tenminste niet de enige (doet dansje).

* * *

**Chapter 21: Identity revealed**

"Let go of my head and I just MIGHT show you some mercy!"

"Nice try Cell, I can sense you're lying!"

"That's not a very smart move you just made…"

"Well, maybe I'm just not that smart and…uhm…no wait…that didn't come out right…"

"GAAAAAAAHHH!"

"Hey, what are you...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

After a long struggle of Cell to grab Lara, who used all of her speed and agility to stay out of his hands, he finally managed to get her of his back my wrapping his tail around her leg and sending her flying through the corridor. Unfortunately, the corridor was very long and he could faintly hear a huge crash in the distance. He wasn't worried about her escaping, because he was a lot faster now that he had absorbed more humans, but he was worried about her life. She might have superhuman speed, but she did not have a superhuman body. In his anger, he had thrown her pretty hard, and the chance that a normal human survived that, was zero to nothing. If she died, he had wasted a lot of time he could have spend on searching for the androids. Also, he had raised his powerlevel and therefore, possibly alerted the Z-fighters for nothing!

"Ooooohh…"

Thanks to his Namekian hearing, he could hear Lara groaning. Apparently, her quick reflexes had enabled her to slow herself down just in time to soften the blow. He hurried to the end of the hall and stopped when he spotted an enormous pile of debris where there used to be a wall. On top of the rubble, a broken slab of concrete slowly started to move. When it finally slid of the pile, a hand emerged.

"Allow me, my dear"

Cell grabbed Lara's wrist and pulled her out of the debris.

"Ugh…" Lara mumbled, "next time, Susan can play the hero…"

Cell snickered.

"I'm afraid there won't be a next…huh?"

He looked up, and noticed a strange woman standing behind him. She was wearing white bodysuit and a matching helmet with a blue visor.

"I strongly advise you to let her go," she said, her voice distorted by a device in her helmet.

"And you are?"

"That is not important"

"You're right… it's not"

He shot his tail at her, but she just disappeared. Cell blinked, confused.

"Where did…"

"Over here, slowpoke!"

Suddenly, he felt something on his head. He reached for it with his hand, and was barely able to touch the mysterious stranger's feet before she jumped away and gracefully landed right behind him.

"Sorry, you'll have to do better than that!"

"What the… who are you? I demand to know!"

"There is no time! The fact is, that at this very moment, this building is crawling with Borg and I don't intend to let you stay here and get assimilated again"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I have more important things to do than listening to your little story"

"Well, you're not the only one with a things-to-do list, so I'll give you two choices: one, you will get out now and destroy this building or two, I will make you. Also, I want you to give me Lara."

Both of them looked at her, she had already passed out.

"She would have survived this anyway even if I don't intervene now, but it would be at a very high price, I know she's not willing to pay"

Cell was becoming more and more confused every second. Who was this woman, what was she talking about?

"What do you mean by 'she would have survived this anyway' and how exactly are you planning to make me…AAAAAAAAAAARRRGGHHH"

He suddenly felt like his head was going to spit in two. A sharp, almost unbearable pain pierced his skull and he felt like he was going to die right there and then, when the pain slowly started to fade away. In complete horror, he looked at the strange woman, who had not moved an inch.

"So Cell, what's it going to be? You've got three seconds"

Cell didn't even wait until his time was up. Immediately, he fired a huge ki blast at the ceiling, just before they left the building, he could see three men entering the corridor. Their skin was a very pale grey, and they were covered with implants. He could only barely sense their ki.

"Quickly!" she shouted as they hovered above the roof of Capsule Corp. "Destroy them, but don't use any of Goku's attacks!"

"Why can't I…AAAAAARRRGGGH! ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT!"

He placed his middle and index finger on his forehead, and began charging his attack.

"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"

In the blink of an eye, Capsule Corp was completely destroyed.

"Now go," she said. "Leave this place, I don't think the Queen will send more drones until she knows what happened, but we can't take any unnecessary risks and…oh! One more thing…" She reached for a pocket on her leg and took out a strange green device. It was about the size of a stamp and now that he took a closer look, it appeared to be completely organic. She placed it on his chest, and it sunk deeper and deeper into his skin until it was no longer visible.

He blinked.

"What was that?"

"Well, the race that has invented it gave it a name I can not pronounce without breaking my jaw, but I call it a Borg Blocker. To make a long story short, it will make you invisible to their sensors. If they decide to transport you to one of their cubes, they will have to find you first and this will make it almost impossible for them to do so."

Cell suddenly noticed two small dots on the horizon. One of them was Susan, but didn't get a chance to take a better look at the other one because his new 'friend' quickly got in front of him and blocked his view.

"GO!"

Cell hesitated for a few seconds, but decided not to push his luck. He would see Miss Mystery again soon enough once he absorbed the androids, and then that disrespectful girl would pay for her insolence…

* * *

"What was that!" 17 exclaimed when they suddenly saw a huge explosion 

"Capsule Corp!" Susan gasped in horror, "It's gone!"

"Is that Cell?"

"Where?"

Susan looked, but all she saw were two tiny dots. She had been able to see the big yellow dome that was CC, but her eyesight wasn't nearly as good as 17's.

"The green one with the tail"

"Uh oh, that's him alright… who's the other one? Is it my sister?"

"I don't know, but she is holding a girl with pink hair"

"Lara! She's alive!"

Susan tried to get to her, but 17 held her back.

"Stay where you are, I'm going to show that thing who's the stronger android here, and I DON'T want you to get in my way"

"And what about Lara! If you attack that creep now, my sister will get caught in the middle! She'll never…"

Susan stopped when 17 gave her an icy stare. There was no love, no friendship, not even a little bit of kindness or compassion his eyes. Against better judgement, Susan had still hoped he would change his mind. That the forces of evil had not consumed him entirely and maybe, just maybe that there was a chance they could be together. Now she realised Trunks was right. 17 and 18 maybe had been human once, but Dr. Gero had turned them into androids. Ruthless killing machines, that would not show mercy to anyone or anything. It broke her heart, but she would not let him know that. Maybe she would lose her life, but she was not going to lose her dignity.

"Like I said before," 17 continued in a cold emotionless voice, "don't get your hopes up"

"Kill me." Susan heard herself say. 17 looked at her, the way someone would look at an UFO that was about to land in their backyard.

"Don't pretend you didn't hear me," she continued. "Kill me, because that is the only way you are going to keep me from coming with you"

The android blinked at the Susan's sudden boldness.

"You can't be serious…"

"Just try me"

"That won't be necessary"

"Huh?"

"He's gone"

Lara looked at the ruins of Capsule Corp, now there was just one small dot above it but it was getting bigger and bigger.

"I'm bored" 17 said, suddenly feeling the urge to just get away from this strange girl as fast as possible, but determined not to show it, "I'm going back to see how my own sister is doing."

Susan frowned. What was he up to?

"I don't feel like blowing stuff up right now, use your extra time wisely because it won't be much." He smirked and took of in the direction of Piccolo and 18, leaving Susan behind.

_Yeah…_ she thought. _He has definitely lost his marbles…_

"Hello Susan"

Startled by the strange voice, she turned around and saw the now-not-so-tiny dot that was still holding Lara.

"Your sister's going to have a major headache when she wakes up, but it could have been much worse"

"T-Thanks…" she stammered, "who are you?"

The mysterious woman reached for her helmet and slowly removed it from her head. Susan froze on the spot, unable to believe what she saw. She just stared, blinked a few times and when she pinched herself to make sure it wasn't a dream, fainted.

"I should have seen that one coming…" the woman mumbled, as she laid the two Uranians down on the grass below her, only a few feet away from her ship. She brushed a few loose strands of pink hair out of her face. It was a lot longer now, it almost came down to her waist. Her light pink eyes gazed up at the sky, it would not be long before the Z-warriors would show up to check out the explosion. She entered her vessel and left it again, this time while holding an unconscious Namekian in her arms. Just before she had arrived at Capsule Corp, she had managed to squeeze a little bit of power out of her broken ship. Just enough to transport one person.

"Sorry for beaming you out of there, but 18 was using you as a punch bag and her brother was going to return and join in on the fun if it had not been for me"

Piccolo groaned, but he was still out cold. Carefully, she laid him down next to her younger self. He would probably be okay in a few more minutes. Mirai Lara stepped back, and looked around. It felt good to be back…

* * *

**A/N:** ACK! Two Lara's? Someone wake me up from this nightmare! Why is she here? How did she torture Cell like that? And what's with the long hair? Find out text time, on DBZ! 


	22. Friend or foe?

A/N Finally, a new, _extra _long chapter! First, I want to apologize. I've been reading a few English books to improve my grammar (and because they were cool! The writer of "Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy" is a pure genius) and realised I have been making a lot of errors, the spellchecker will not detect. For example: instead of "it didn't matter", I've written "it didn't mattered" and more of the same. It is being fixed as we speak. I will try to keep learning English by watching TV and reading English books, but I need your help people! If you see an error, please contact me. My email is in my profile. I would very much appreciate it. In the mean time, on with the story!

P.S. Yes, yes, I know you've all been begging me for almost two weeks now to update "Star Trek Academy", but I felt like updating this one first. And since I'm the authoress, I can do whatever I want, mhuahahaha!  
But seriously, I'll be updating it soon, I promise.

P.S. P.S. Some of the used technology in this chapter (like the shield emitters) might SEEM wrong, but trust me: they are not. It will all be explained later on in the story.

_R&R people!_

* * *

**Chapter 22: Friend or foe?**

"_Now_ what am I going to do?"

Mirai Lara sighed and sat down on the cool grass. She had only been here for 40 minutes and her sister already knew her identity! Why had she done it? Why did she take off her helmet? Oh well… it didn't matter. For some reason, time and space worked different in this dimension. Instead of altering a timeline, a new one was created when someone messed things up. Trunks had told her that a long time ago, from her perspective. As long as she stayed here, she would not be affected by any of the changes she was going to make. Of course, she had no idea how this was going to work out in her own dimension. If she did something here that would kill "present Lara", there was a good chance she would cease to exist as soon as she went back to her own "normal" dimention, and if that would happen, she would never be able to make _this_ trip because she was dead, thus creating ANOTHER timeline in _this_ dimension and so on.

Mirai Lara groaned, she hated temporal paradoxes.

"Hey, who are you?"

M-Lara spun around when she felt a hand on her shoulder and stood eye to eye with Piccolo. Ack! He had recovered from his fight with 18 already? She silently cursed his Namekian ability to regenerate. She suddenly noticed the shocked expression on his face and realized she had forgotten to put her helmet back on. O, great…

"Lara? Is that you?"

"The one and only!" she jokingly replied.

"What has…how did..."

Mirai Lara mentally kicked herself one last time, and then tried to change the subject before things would get even worse.

"Do you remember fighting 18?" she asked.

"Des, I do" he replied cautiously. "I thought I could easily destroy 17, but for some reason he was a lot stronger than I expected. Then, Susan showed up and distracted me long enough for 18 to catch me off guard… after that, everything just went downhill"

"HEY! Don't you dare blame my sister for this!" she suddendly shouted, "Even though you are a bit stronger than the androids, they have infinite energy. You would have probably been killed anyway!"

Piccolo twitched at that last statement, but regained his calm.

"Where are we, and how did I get here?"

"I used the last bit of energy my ship had left, and transported you out of there just in time. About the 'where' part, I'm sure Bulma and the Doctor will explain it to you when they get here. They must have heard the explosion, and if I know Bulma, she will want to know what happened to her company"

Piccolo now noticed M-Lara's vessel.

"The Delta Flyer? Bulma said it was broken beyond repair!"

She sighed and turned her back to him.

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave"

M-Lara was about to take off, but Piccolo grabbed her arm

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on here!"

"I don't have a choice! I already told you to much! LET ME GO!"

Piccolo screamed and grabbed his head in agony, as he felt a almost unbearable pain penetrate his brain. When it finally stopped, he looked up but M-Lara was gone. Instead, he found some sort of datapad on a stone, a few feet from where she had been standing. He picked it up, reading the short message she had left him.

_"Dear Piccolo,  
I'm truly sorry for all the things I did, and am still going to do.  
Please understand.  
Lara.  
P.S. I activated the self-destruct mechanism on the Flyer. You have three minutes to get rid of my vessel before it explodes on Earth"_

Piccolo looked at the Delta Flyer, from the inside he could hear a woman's voice:

"Warning, warp core breach in two minutes and 30 second"

As fast as he could, he rushed inside the broken-down ship and without even bothering to look, grabbed everything he could get his hands on, hoping that the items could help solve some of the mystery around M-Lara. With only 15 seconds to go, Piccolo lifted the vessel and with all his strength, hurled it into space where it exploded. The Flyer almost looked like a shooting star, but at least now, no one got hurt.

"Piccolo? What are you doing here?"

He turned to Susan, who had woken up.

"I could ask you the same question"

"Well… back in Pepper Town, I wanted to warn you about Cell"

"Cell? What about him?"

"He was heading for Capsule Corporation and we were afraid he would sense you fighting the androids. Suddenly, I heard Lara call for help, apparently Cell had found them. 17 wanted to see him so he grabbed me and took off"

"YOU LET 17 GET TO CELL?"

"ACK! Of course not! I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't let me! What was I supposed to do, throw rocks at him? Not all of us have the ability to regenerate lost limbs, you know!"

"You're right, I'm sorry"

Susan frowned at his apology. This was not like him. There was something strange about his voice. He sounded tired.

"Anyway, and you're not going to believe this," she continued, "Capsule Corp went with a bang, and 17 took off again and left me here when suddenly, this…woman in a white suit shows up with Lara! When I asked her who she was, she took of her helmet and…"

"Revealed herself to be an older, mature version of your sister"

Susan's jaw dropped

"How did you know that!"

"Because she saved me from 18"

Piccolo told Susan what happened.

"one thing I still don't understand though…" he said. "How did Cell find them at Capsule Corp?"

Susan sighed. "I'm afraid he has our tricorder"

"Not anymore..." someone else said.

Piccolo and Susan suddenly noticed Lara, who had been standing behind a tree the whole time. She looked grim.

"He destroyed it, along with Bulma's remote to disable the androids"

"Lara!" Susan exclaimed, "You're alright!"

"Feh... just a few bumps and bruises," she smiled, but winced when she tried to give Susan a thumbs up, "and a broken arm… just wait 'till I get my hands on that creep!"

"What happened back there?"

"That's what we ALL would like to know" a familiar voice suddenly asked.

"Tien?"

Susan looked up and saw the entire Z-gang hovering above their heads. Yamcha, Tien, Chi Chi, Gohan, a strange short guy who called himself 'Vegeta, prince of all Saiyans'… everyone was here, in search of Cell.

"Where's Cell? I can't sense him anymore?" Krillin asked

"WHO CARES ABOUT THAT STUPID BUG!" Bulma yelled at him in a tone that even startled Vegeta. "MY COMPANY HAS JUST BEEN DESTROYED!"

"Calm down! At least we're alive and right now, that's good enough for me!" Susan snapped at her.

"What about Goku?" Chi Chi asked, "Have you found him yet?"

"No, but we found someone else…"

Susan told everything about her encounter with M-Lara, while Piccolo, Bulma and the Doctor ("after I realised the temperature was 39.1 degrees Celsius, This brave hologram immediately took action and…") interrupted her every now and then, filling in the blanks.

"And that's it" Piccolo finished. Apparently, the Mirai version of Lara has taken the somehow repaired Delta Flyer and came back to this time.

"Why would I…I mean…she do that?" Lara asked a bit uneasy.

"I don't know," Piccolo said, "but she obviously activated the self-destruct mechanism of her ship to make sure we don't find out."

Piccolo unrolled his cape, showing the contents.

"I managed to get some things out of her vessel before I destroyed it, maybe they can give provide us with some answers"

"There is another Capsule Corporation lab a few miles from here. It's not as big as our main one, but it will do"

Bulma took the items from Piccolo and placed them into an empty capsule. She held it up against the light, a determined look on her face.

"If the reason for M-Lara's visit is in here, I'm going to find it!"

"Do you have room for another person in there?" the Doctor asked. "Before Cell found us, I was being hailed by commander Chakotay. If I can use your lab and contact him again, Voyager might be able to help"

"And what are _we_ going to do in the mean time?" Susan and Lara butted in. "Just sit here and wait for Cell, or more Borg drones to show up?"

"Cell won't find you without a tricorder and I don't think those 'Borg' are coming back," Trunks said. "You told us the Borg are a ruthless species, who don't let anyone or anything stand in their way"

"Your point?"

"If they _really_ wanted to try again, what's stopping them?"

"To be honest…" Susan sighed, still in shock due to the fact that the Borg had followed them, "I have no idea…"

* * *

The Borg Queen didn't even blink at the loss of 800 drones. Why would she? They had been sacrificed for the sake of the collective. She was wondering what had caused this, though. Voyager's Doctor and his human friend had been running straight into her trap, but suddenly turned around and left the building before her drones could even pursue them. Almost like they had been warned somehow. Also, when "the Monster of Nicky Town", as it was called on the local news, was about to be added to their perfection, this strange woman showed up and interfered. The real shock came, when the Collective discovered that a strange shield was somehow keeping them from transporting to, or away from the planet. Yes, they would adapt in time, but that wasn't the reason she was worried. 

Before the building that the humans called "Capsule Corporation" was destroyed by that strange creature, the Borg managed to assimilate a few fragments of it's database. The information proved to be very interesting. Apparently, CC was the centre of technology on this alternate Earth. Their most successful product was a capsule in which you could store almost everything "from spare shoelaces to an entire house" as it stated in an old newspaper article that had been pinned on a wall with a thumbtack. Unfortunately, the Borg had not found any of these capsules. Most of the technology had been destroyed, probably by the monster. Also, they had not managed to assimilate enough of the database to learn how to make one themselves. But that wasn't the reason for her concern, because what they DID manage to get their hands on, was a list of inventions and "Borg-proof shielding" wasn't on it. What was going on?

The Queen turned around and looked at an almost-drone, formerly known as "Goku". For some reason, assimilating this one, went a lot slower than on the other members of Voyager. The nanoprobes were multiplying at an extremely slow rate and the amount of sedative the Borg had to use on him to keep him from wrecking the ship, was enough to knock out over 2000 humans for three weeks. They had also tried to analyse his memory. The result were surprising, to say at least. 80 percent of his brain: unused. 1 percent: memories about a woman called "Chi Chi": 6 percent: nightmares about needles (which explained a lot, though). 12 percent: data about something called "cotton candy". There was 1 percent left, though. It was about his friends, battles he had fought and strange round objects he called "Dragon balls", but when she tried to get a better look at it, he resisted, using every last bit of his strength to fight the voice of the collective and keep her out.

The Queen smiled to herself. Goku was strong, very strong, but in the end… he would be Borg. They would_ all_ be Borg.

* * *

"I-I-swear I –h-h-haven't s-seen t-them!" 

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Y-yes!"

"That's too bad"

"W-Wait…what a-are you g-going t-to…AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!"

Cell growled in frustration as he absorbed the last remaining shopper in the now deserted mall. This was taking too long! He had searched almost 30 cities and towns, gaining more and more power along the way, but he would not be able to use it if he did not find the androids! After hours of searching, he decided to ask a few humans if they had seen them, but none of them did. He came to the conclusion that if someone _had_ spotted the androids, he or she would most likely not be able to tell the tale, and therefore, his efforts were useless.

And, of course, there was that woman… Without even do as much as raising a finger, she had driven him almost to the edge of insanity. Even thinking about that painful experience made his head feel like someone had wrapped it up in tin foil and put it in the microwave. Yet, she had required his help to destroy the CC building.

He thought about Susan and Lara. They were able to fly, but could not even fire a simple ki-blast. They also had psychic abilities, but hardly any physical strengt. From what he had seen, they could use telepathy and sense emotions. The first ability was nothing special, Piccolo could do that and he could probably do it too, if he wanted. The second, was far more useful to him. Not that he was interested in other peoples feelings, but he would be able to sense the presence of life without having to read ki. This way, not even humans or other beings with extremely weak powerlevels would be able to hide from him.

He now realised that this strange woman had to be psychic as well, even though he had never seen one of those girls attack him like this. It would explain why she was able to hurt him that much, without raising her power level, but wasn't able to destroy the building herself due to her lack of physical strenght. He chuckled, finally realising what he was dealing with.

"Well, you're certainly in a good mood!"

Cell spun around, looking for whoever had been watching him.

"Over here!"

He looked up, and saw the object of his musing standing on a streetlight. He smirked

"Hello there, my dear Uranian friend!"

His stalker didn't even try to deny it

"How did you-?"

"Isn't it obvious? Extreme speed, psychic powers and yet, a powerlevel that is barely above human?"

Even though she was still wearing a helmet, he could almost see her frowning behind her visor.

"My powerlevel is really _that_ bad?"

Cell focused on her Ki again, and smirked.

"No, I admit it's a bit higher… but still, I'm sure that without your speed or little 'headache attack', it would only take about three to five humans to take you out"

"At least eight humans, and don't mock me or you'll be absorbing painkillers for the next three weeks!" she snapped at him.

"I wouldn't dare," he replied sarcastic, but she didn't seem to listen. Instead, she reached for a pocket on her right calf and took out something that looked like a tricorder.

"Good," she said after scanning him. "Your Borg blocker is still working. I've placed about seven shield emitters on this planet and just one of them has to work to keep the Borg at bay. Still, I thought it would be a good idea to give you some additional protection, just in case"

"Then you've been here before…"

"Explain"

He glared at her, not used to being ordered around.

"I don't know what a shield emitter looks like," he continued, "but if you need only one to protect an entire planet, they are probably a lot bigger than the device you gave me"

"They're about the size of a small car. They actually look like small cars too, so the earthlings won't notice them"

"And yet, you brought seven of those things to Earth? You would need a pretty big ship for that, and such a vessel would have been spotted and made the evening news, or…" he smirked, "you used a capsule to carry them"

"Yes, I did"

Cells catlike eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?"

"I can't tell you"

"Then I will make you tell me"

She snickered

"For someone who's supposed to be the ultimate android, you're pretty dumb, Cell! Did you forget what-"

"No my dear, I remember quite well. It's just that I also remember something else…" His beak twisted into an evil grin. "You were, and still are, determined to keep me away from 'the Borg'"

He heard her gasp.

"You wouldn't dare…"

"Oh yes, I would. These 'Borg', as you call them, sound very interesting. Perhaps I should meet them. If I blow a hole in my chest and destroy your little device, and get away from this planet, I'm sure they will find me eventually"

Silence. No headache attack, no snappy comeback, nothing. Finally, she sighed.

"I can sense you're not bluffing"

She jumped of the streetlight and landed in front of him. There was now only a few centimetres of space between them.

"Don't do anything stupid," she said in a threatening voice, and before he could respond, removed her helmet.

"Or you _will_ regret it…"

* * *

**A/N: **Attacking Piccolo? Running from her friends? Warning Cell about the Borg? What on Earth is she doing? And how will Cell react when he discovers who his stalker really is? Find out next time, on DBZ! 


	23. Darkling

**A/N:** Last update: May 22? Oh my, has it really been that long? Oops! I'll try to update this story (and Star Trek Academy) more frequently, but please remember that I do have a life! (well… actually I don't, but a girl can dream, can't she?)

**Chapter 23: Darkling

* * *

**

"IT'S YOU!" Cell exclaimed

"We meet again, huh?"

Cell took a closer look at M-Lara. Or rather, the older version of Lara. He did not know if Uranians had the same lifespan as humans, but he estimated her to be about 25 years old. He wasn't sure. This, however, wasn't the only thing that was different about her. Present Lara was completely hyper. Always running, screaming, laughing (until she noticed that he had spotted her), squabbling with her sister, panicking, or just acting…well…stupid. Mirai Lara was nothing like that. She acted calm, sometimes a bit sarcastic and angered when he refused to do as she told him, but other that that, she appeared to have no emotions whatsoever.

"You're from the future aren't you?" An evil smile played on his face

"Well someone give this _genius_ a prize!" Lara said, throwing her hands up in sarcasm.

Cell growled, but kept his calm. Yes, it was very tempting to try to absorb that arrogant girl now but she was still watching him like a hawk. He could almost feel her eyes burning a hole in his tail. Unlike present Lara, M-Lara was definitely a lot more careful. He would bide his time, and wait until she dropped her guard.

"Why have you followed me?" he asked casually, like he was talking to a good friend.

"I have my reasons"

"Really? Well, I'm afraid I don't have time to deal with you" he chuckled, while slowly raising his hands to his face

"Oh great, let me guess: you're going to say something along the lines of 'we will meet again, my dear' and do a solar flare so you can search for the androids and absorb me later? How original…"

Cell growled. How did she…

"Don't look at me like that, I've seen you use that move before when you absorbed 17 and…"

Mirai Lara clasped her hands over her mouth, hoping that Cell had not heard her little slip-up. Unfortunately, his Namekian hearing had not failed him.

"So I will absorb the androids?" he smirked evilly.

Mirai Lara sighed, mentally slapping herself in the face.

"Yes"

"And now you're here to stop me?"

"No"

He frowned. This was certainly an unexpected answer!

"Trunks came to this timeline to stop android 17 and 18. Is it not logical that you have travelled back to stop me?" his eyes narrowed. "You're hiding something, my dear"

"Don't call me 'dear'!"

"And why should I not…AAAAARRRGH!"

Cell screamed as he realised that Mirai Lara apparently wasn't very fond of nicknames. Strangely, the pain wasn't as worse as it had been the first time he had provoked her. It also lasted a lot shorter. I could be that she was just warning him, but he decided to watch her powers more closely when she tried to attack him again.

"I don't care what you do Cell" she continued. "If you're so desperate to absorb the androids and destroy the Earth, then go ahead!"

Cell blinked. Had he heard that right?

"You see, in my timeline there is no such thing as good and evil" she paused, a blank expression on her face. "Only Borg"

* * *

"Hello, earth to 17! Anybody home?" 

18 got no response from her android brother. They were now flying for almost three hours and still no sign of Goku, or Piccolo, who had just vanished into thin air during her fight. This however, didn't seem to bother him.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

17 looked at her.

"What?"

"It's a human expression"

"Oh"

18 pouted

"If you don't want to share, fine! But you have been acting strange ever since you returned and I don't like it"

"Hmph…"

"Ugh, you're hopeless! Come on 16, let's go and find Goku before he…"

17 didn't hear her. He was too distracted to pay any attention to his insulted sister's ranting.

"_I am worried about you"_

Memories of his new blue haired 'friend' kept flooding his mind. Argh! Why wouldn't she leave him alone! Why had he even let her go in the first place?

"_You really are a brainless idiot!"_

He growled. The nerve of that girl! Who did she think she was anyway?

"_You're not taking this serious… you don't take anything serious!"_

Was she right?

"_I would rather die…"_

He had to admit that she had guts, talking to him like that. She knew he could kill her within the blink of an eye and yet, she showed no fear at all

No wait… that wasn't true. He still remembered her reaction when he had offered her his hand. She had been afraid of him, but she also didn't seem to be very fond of that "Cell" character. Could that thing really be a threat?

17 scowled inwardly. Of course not! He was the strongest android ever created and he would prove it to her. He would show that girl, that it was HIM that she should be warning people about!

* * *

"Chichi…Gohan…Bulma…No!" 

"Stop fighting it Goku, you belong to us now"

"My name is…son Goku…Saiyan…my wife's name is…"

"Forget them…they are irrelevant…individuality is irrelevant…we are Borg"

Goku kept struggling against the voice of the Collective and its queen. He was losing, but he refused to give up. He tried powering up, but something kept him from doing so. He felt weak…incredibly weak…too many voices…

He couldn't…let them win… Everything would be lost! Earth, Voyager, the entire universe! Even though he was fighting the Queen with everything he had, he could still hear the hive mind. It was horrible.

"Why are you still wasting your energy?" the Queen asked him in an almost seductive voice

"Why…are you… doing this?" Goku asked with great difficulty. "Captain Janeway… my friends on Earth … they haven't done anything to hurt you!"

"And we haven't hurt them" the queen replied calmly. "We have done them a favour, they have left behind their trivial lives and are now a part of something far more greater"

"Ugh…No!"

"Yes! And your friends on Earth will follow as soon as we have adapted to their shield"

"Shield?"

"Correct."

She slowly stalked closer to Goku, who was still strapped to an assimilation table. His struggle cost him so much energy that he wasn't even able to lift a finger, let alone break free or go SuperSaiyan. This wasn't looking too good…

"What…shield…?" he groaned. The queen stopped dead in her tracks. He didn't know? How was this possible? She had not been able to look at his entire memory yet, but she had seen that he was close friends with a woman named 'Bulma', who worked at Capsule Corporation.

"Don't try to fool us!" she snapped angrily at him. "You are friends with the daughter of the head of Capsule Corporation, Earth's centre of technology!"

"I really…don't know…" he uttered, "and even if I did…I would never…tell…you"

The Queen scowled and walked away, leaving Goku behind. This 'Saiyan' was remarkable, she had never seen anyone who was able to resist the voice of the Collective for so long. An fascinating race indeed…

* * *

"OWW!" 

"Lara, I told you not to touch that!"

"Hey, technically it's **_my_** stuff you know!"

"And it's **_my_** laboratory!"

"Sjeez…"

Lara muttered a few Uranian words, unknown to Bulma but not to Susan who immediately whacked her sister on the head. Bulma decided not to ask for a translation and continued to repair a couple of datapads they had found among Mirai Lara's belongings. They had not found anything useful yet. Some clothes, a broken combadge, and a few lose screws and bolts.These datapads however, could hold the answers to their questions, as Bulma had found out that some of them were personal logs. Unfortunately, most of them were either heavily encrypted or damaged almost beyond repair. Those were going to take a while.

"I think I found something!" The Doctor shouted from the other side of the lab. He was working on a device that looked like some sort of advanced holocamera.

"Lets see…maybe if I flip this switch over here…"

They all rushed over to see what he was doing.

"What did you find, Doc?" Lara asked

"We'll see in a few seconds," he said as he pressed a few buttons on the side of the device. Suddenly, a bright light filled the room as a small, blurry three-dimensional holographic projection could now be seen 'floating' a few inches above the camera.

"It's a portable holoprojector! Amazing!" the Doctor gasped

"Why is it so amazing? It looks like a primitive copy of your mobile emitter" Susan remarked

"But I got my emitter from 400 years into the future, remember? Technology like this hasn't even been invented yet"

"We already knew she was from the future." Bulma said

"Yes, but now we know that it could not have been more than 400 years or she would probably have gotten herself something more modern than this"

"Uhm…Doc?" Lara asked

"Yes?"

"Uranians only have an average lifespan of 280 years, remember?"

"Like I said, it could not have been more than 400!"

"Right…"

"Hey you guys!" Bulma pointed at the camera. "The hologram is clearing up!"

They all looked at the projection. They started to see shapes and colours. Slowly, an image started to form

"Hey…THAT'S ME!" Susan exclaimed

Susan stared at her future self. 'She' had not changed a bit. 'Mirai' Susan was holding baby Trunks, wearing a party hat and making weird faces. The next picture was one of Gohan, also wearing a party hat, trying to blow out candles on a cake. It went on like this. Chichi making a toast, Goku trying to stuff the entire cake in his mouth, Oolong and Master Roshi playing strip poker, Oolong and Master Roshi being hit by Chichi's frying pan and a small movie of Bulma trying to make Vegeta eat cake and sing 'Happy Birthday' instead of grunting something about 'Saiyan warriors' not wearing 'pathetic human party hats'. They heard Mirai Lara giggle in the background, and suddenly the Saiyan no Ouiji looked straight at the camera, yelled something quite rude and everything after that was just static.

"That was strange…"

"Yeah…" Bulma frowned "Did you see Goku? He has returned and by the looks of it, completely cured from the virus!"

"I'm talking about the party…I don't remember Gohan having his birthday "

"We're planning to throw him a surprise party next week" Bulma said, "I forgot to tell you guys"

"I'm starting to feel a bit insulted" Susan pouted

"Come on!" Bulma defended herself, "There's been a lot going on lately, I just…"

"There's another picture!" the Doctor interrupted. "Look!"

What they saw was a group shot of Mirai Susan and Mirai Lara, the Z-fighters and the Voyager crew in the Messhall. Everyone looked happy and healthy. A perfect picture...

"Bulma, can I take the camera?" Susan asked

"Why?"

"I'm going to search for our new 'friend', she'll probably want this back, and maybe I can get her to answer a question or two"

"Are you sure?" Bulma asked. "What if you run into Cell or the androids?"

"Or the Borg?" Lara added nervously. "We don't know what's stopping them from attacking us, or how long it's going to last!"

"Well," Susan said grim, "I have a feeling that just staying here isn't going to help either"

"Take this," Bulma took a capsule from a shelf and handed it to Susan. "It's a hoverbike, you can't fly because Cell might sense you and this is a lot faster than walking"

"Thanks, how does it work?"

Bulma opened the capsule.

"This is the steer, this is the gas pedal, and here are the breaks"

"And this button?"

"That's just the radio"

"Oh"

* * *

**A/N: **With dr. Gero's creations on one side, and the Borg on the other, things don't look good for our heroes. And what about Mirai Lara? Whose side is she on? Find out next time on Dragonball Z! 


	24. Enemy of my enemy, part I

**A/N:** Sorry for the delayed update, but I was suffering from a major writers block! I had to take a break and think how this story should go, but I figured it out! Yay!

Enjoy this extra long chapter and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 24: Enemy of my enemy, part I

* * *

**

"I wish Bulma had given me a bit more detailed instructions…" Susan muttered under her breath as she desperately tried to keep her hoverbike in the air. It was a strange vehicle. It looked like a white motorcycle, but without wheels. Susan longed back to the safety of the Delta Flyer, but since it was beyond repair (especially now that Cell had destroyed it, along with the entire Capsule Corp building), and flying wasn't an option either, this had to do for now.

She looked down at the earth below her. She had passed several cities by now, all of them empty. Clothes with holes in them scattered across the streets and inside the houses. A strong aura of fear and despair was often still present, making Susan feeling sick to her stomach and curse her Uranian senses. Of course Cell wasn't the only thing that made her worry. The Borg were still out there somewhere, probably waiting for a chance to plunge a couple of assimilation tubes into their necks.

A shiver ran down her spine. Whatever it was that kept them at bay, she hoped it would work long enough until they came up with a plan, and no, running and screaming did not count. Maybe Captain Janeway had thought of something to stop them? That had to be it! But then again, was Voyager even still there? They had already been here for quite some time; they should have been able to fix those transporters by now. Maybe they had found a way back to their own dimension and left without them?

No! Captain Janeway would never do that!

Right?

Her thoughts returned to the camera she was holding, or rather, its owner. Why was she here? What was her goal? How had she managed to scare Cell away, back at CC?

Susan wondered if it could have something to do with herself and "present" Lara. Maybe Cell had killed them and she came back to stop him!

No, wait a minute… If they were dead, it would be pretty hard for Lara to make the trip, unless they were wished back, but Krillin had told them something about Piccolo fusing with a guy named Kami and making the Dragonballs disappear. Argh! This was so…

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Susan snapped back to reality when a little red light near the battery meter started to flash. Uh oh… loud beeping noises and little red lights usually weren't a good sign.

_Crap!_ She thought. _Bulma must have forgotten to recharge this thing!_

She glanced at the empty city below her. It didn't look very inviting, but she had to get back on solid ground while her bike was still working, before she would be forced to fly. Susan rather enjoyed being alive, and she really didn't want to end as another pile of clothes.

_Those poor humans…

* * *

_

Cell was walking through the abandoned streets of Basil town. Well, they weren't entirely abandoned since Mirai Lara was there with him, giving him a crash course in exobiology. It was a very strange sight, actually. Not that anyone was around to watch it; Cell had emptied the town about 15 minutes ago, just before his new "friend" showed up. Much to his annoyance, she was completely ignoring the clothes scattered throughout the streets, marking his presence. They both knew that she stood a far better chance against him than they had done (to say at least), but he had expected her to be at least a _little_ bit intimidated.

"…And that's basically it" She sighed

"So these 'Borg' you keep talking about," Cell recapitulated, "are cybernetic beings, that travel in gigantic cubes and sometimes spheres, seeking other life forms to add to their 'collective' in order to reach perfection?".

He couldn't help bit grin at that last word, earning himself one of Mirai Lara's famous don't-even-think-about-it glares.

"Correct. If a species possesses useful biological qualities, or advanced technology, the Borg will try to assimilate them. Drones are transported to the ship or planet, and inject nanoprobes into the inhabitants, erasing every trace of individuality and adding their memories and thoughts to the hive mind. The poor souls are then transported to the Borg cube, where they will receive cybernetic implants ranging from artificial eyes, to mechanical arms and body armour. To top it all off, there is almost no way to fight them."

"Are they that strong?" He smiled evilly. "Interesting…"

"Actually, compared to you or the Z-fighters, they are quite weak. Their implants give them additional strength, and it also depends on the species the drone belonged to before it was assimilated, but when it comes to physical strength, even I can beat them! They usually weaken their target by using the weapons on their ship, rather than engaging in hand-to-hand combat"

"Then their power lies in speed or psychic powers, like your race?"

"Afraid not"

Cell was getting impatient now. Why didn't that woman just get to the point! He really didn't know how much longer he would be able to control himself.

"They're not strong, not fast and don't have any other special technique like going Super Saiyan or Namekian regeneration?" He said in a mock tone.

"So what's there to be afraid of, you ask? I'll tell you! Yes Cell, it's true that they are not strong or fast, but they do have one special ability"

"Which is?"

"They adapt…"

Mirai Lara's expression turned extremely dark. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Cell was beginning to feel more than uncomfortable now. There was something about her that made his blood run cold. He had never seen anyone this… unstable. Yes, that was the right word: unstable. She was showing absolutely now emotions, but sometimes he could feel extreme bitterness, rage and above of all, hate flare up. It was so strong that you didn't need any psychic abilities to sense it.

"It doesn't matter how much photon torpedoes you fire, or what kind of fancy phaser riffle you are using, after you have fired one or two shots, they adapt to the frequency of your weapon, making it feel like you're just shooting blanks. When that happens, you have only two options left: fight them the old-fashioned way, get tired and be assimilated or run, get cornered, fight, get tired and THEN be assimilated. The fact that for every drone you DO manage to take down, ten others beam on to your ship to take its place, isn't exactly helping either"

"And let me guess: they can adapt to energy signals as well?"

A wry smile appeared on her face.

"You are smarter than you look, let's see if you can figure out the last clue on your own"

Cell thought, and after a few minutes it hit him.

"Back at Capsule Corporation, you told me not to use any of Goku's attacks"

"That's right"

Cell blinked. Was she actually saying that Goku was…

"As you probably know already, Susan and I lived on the Federation starship Voyager, before we accidentally ended up here and…well…ran into you. When our Captain realized what had happened, she followed us. Their ship, just like our own shuttle did not make it through the rift unscratched, and their transporters were severely damaged. They tried to repair it, but beamed Goku to their ship instead of me. The Borg Queen found out about it, attacked Voyager and assimilated everyone on board"

She sighed, and gazed up at the sky.

"I wanted to get here a few months earlier to close the rift from the inside before Susan and my younger self discovered it, but I had a few…technical difficulties…and was forced to make a crash landing in this timeline"

She looked at him and shrugged.

"If there is one thing I've learned from my previous encounters with you though, is that you always should think of a plan B"

"The Borg Blocker?"

"Yes. I was afraid something like this might happen, so I took a few extra gadgets with me before I left, just in case. If I was for some reason not able to stop the Borg from assimilating Goku and dooming the universe, I could now at least delay them a bit."

She continued to look at him with those piercing eyes of her. Cold, hollow and lifeless.

"You have to stay away from them. Goku isn't really going to be a problem, he might be strong but he is alone. If all the Z-fighters work together, it should not be real problem beating him, especially since he lost the ability to go Super Saiyan"

She grinned, obviously amused by his confused expression.

"The transformation to a Super Saiyan is triggered by extreme rage. The Borg don't know emotions, let alone anger or sorrow, and even if they somehow did: Goku is now linked to the hive mind. If he has to get mad, the hive mind has to get mad and all the other drones would automatically join in on the fun. Not exactly the best way to create order into chaos, don't you agree?"

Her expression darkened again.

"However, if they manage to assimilate you, it's going to be a bit more difficult I'm afraid. You have the ability to use attacks of every Z-fighter and even a few dead villains as a bonus. Therefore, by assimilating you, they don't just get another super-drone to join Goku, but their would also be able to adapt to all of his friend's energy signals at once, leaving them, and therefore the entire universe, completely defenceless"

"This is what happened in your timeline?"

Mirai Lara pauzed, it looked like she was not sure what to answer.

"In a way… yes"

His eyes narrowed. She was hiding something, he just knew it.

"In a way? I get the feeling you're not telling me everything"

She shot him an icy glare.

"There's a human expression…'curiosity killed the cat', I believe it is"

"Well, since I'm not a cat," he purred, "I do have one little question I would like to ask"

"What?"

A cruel smile played on his beak.

"What happened to that loud-mouthed sister of yours?"


	25. Enemy of my enemy, part II

**A/N: **It's been quite some time since my last update. I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get any reviews, but I'll add this one nonetheless. I would like to thank everyone that already reviewed the earlier chapters, though. You guys are the best! (Of course, I you want to leave a second review, I'm not stopping you)

This story might seem to be getting crazier by the minute, but believe me: there is a plot!

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 25: Enemy of my enemy, part II**

"There's a human expression…'curiosity killed the cat', I believe it is"

"Well, since I'm not a cat," he purred, "I do have one little question I would like to ask"

"What?"

A cruel smile played on his beak.

"What happened to that loud-mouthed sister of yours?"

"She's dead"

To Cell's amazement, Mirai Lara still did not show any emotions. Absolutely no pain or sorrow could be seen in her eyes. It was almost like she had built a wall around herself, not allowing anyone to see even the slightest trace of weakness. Determined to get some kind of reaction out of her, he continued pushing Lara's buttons.

"Really?" he chuckled.

"Yes"

"Oh, I _do_ hope it wasn't _my_ fault?" He asked in a mock apologetic tone.

"No, it wasn't"

"Then what killed here?"

She shot him an icy glare, and looked away.

"It doesn't matter"

"Why not?"

"Because," Lara hissed between clenched teeth, "it's NOT going to happen again!"

Cell grinned triumphantly. Maybe Lara's hard shell wasn't that difficult to crack.

"You are going to save her?" he asked slyly

"I WON'T LET HER DO IT AGAIN!" she suddenly yelled. "I tried to stop her… she wouldn't listen! She never listened!"

The once calm and collected Mirai Lara was trembling, her light pink eyes blazing with rage. It only lasted for a brief moment, though. Her anger faded and only an intense look of sadness was left on her face.

"He was gone, but she refused to believe it…" she softly whispered. "Her emotions became her downfall and I'm not…going to make the same mistake…not again…"

Cell blinked when her anger subsided just as quickly as it had flared up. Apparently, Mirai Lara was indeed quite unstable. She looked almost…insane.

"Goodbye Cell" she suddenly said

He regained his composure, and smirked.

"Leaving so soon?"

"Yes, I have some unfinished business I need to attend to"

She tried to fly away, but the malicious android swiftly launched his tail towards her and used it to grab her left ankle, catching her in mid-air. Before she could react, he yanked her back to him and wrapped his arms around her chest (A/N: No, not like THAT, you perverts!) in a bear hug.

"I'm sorry," he softly purred in Lara's ear, "but _my_ business with you isn't over yet"

"I'm warning you Cell…" she growled in a low voice

He chuckled darkly. "Your behaviour is quite puzzling, my dear. You told me that I could blow up this mud ball if I wanted to, but at the same time, you are determined to prevent your sister's demise."

Lara hung her head, her voice was barely audible.

"I don't care if you destroy this planet, simply because I cannot stop you. It's foolish to waste your energy, worrying about something you cannot change." She sighed. "I do ask you to at least think before you act…all this destruction is so…pointless…"

Suddenly, she turned her head towards him and looked straight into his eyes.

"As for my sister, I'm not sure if I can do anything to stop her, but I will try with all my might! Even…even if it kills me"

"Stop her from doing what?"

She stayed silent, which angered him. He did not enjoy being ignored, and certainly not by this arrogant woman! He strengthened his hold, causing Lara to gasp for air.

"I'm growing weary of this little game, my dear"

This seemed to catch her attention.

"Let. Me. Go. NOW!" she growled in a low, threatening voice.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Lara," he taunted, "You see, if you can't tell me the answers I want, I'll have no choice but to get them myself"

Lara's eyed widened in shock and almost immediately, he felt a familiar pain ripping through his brain. She had realised what he was planning and tried to fight back, but her attack had yet again grown weaker. He did not know if Lara had lost her energy, or if he was slowly getting used to the pain, but he wasn't rolling over and clutching his head in agony anymore. Still, it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. Cell gritted his teeth, fighting to stay focused.

_In the meantime, on the other side of town…_

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

A flock of birds quickly scattered when the screams of a certain blue-haired Uranian echoed through the streets.

"Oh no, not good! Not good! Not good!" Susan panicked when she discovered that the breaks of her hoverbike weren't working as well as they were supposed to. She tried every button and switch she could find, but her vehicle wasn't responding to her commands. She barely managed to jump off just before her bike crashed into a small car that was parked on the sidewalk.

"Whew, that was close!" Susan laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. "A few more seconds and I would've been road kill!"

Shocked, she looked at the car. What if there had been someone inside? Worried, she rushed over to the crash site and tried to look through the windshield of the buckled vehicle. Unfortunately, all the windows were darkened.

"Hello?"

There was no response. It could've been that it was just parked here, or that the owner had been absorbed by Cell and she would find his or her clothes on the backseat. Of course, Susan wasn't going to take that risk. She had learned from her time on Voyager, that humans were an extremely resourceful race. Maybe a few of them had managed to escape somehow and if that was the case, she was going to find them! She went inside a nearby house and grabbed a chair, using it to break the glass.

"Hello?" she called out again, "is anyone in there? Do you need help?"

Carefully, she tried poking her head through the hole in the window, but a strange force knocked her back several feet. It wasn't strong enough to kill, but it had packed quite a wallop.

"What on Urania was that?" Susan exclaimed, wondering why the entire world was spinning. She looked at the broken windshield. A yellowish forcefield was shimmering where the glass had once been. Suddenly, a mechanical voice sounded from the inside of the car.

"Warning, self-destruct in 10 seconds…9…8…"

"Uh oh…" she mumbled

"7…6…5…"

Susan finally woke up from her daze and hightailed into an nearby alley

"4…3…2…1"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The Uranian girl covered her ears and curled up into a ball, when the violent explosion raged past the entrance. When she came out of hiding, debris were scattered around and a smouldering crater marked the spot where the strange…uhm…whatever it was, once stood.

"Man, this really isn't my…eh?" Susan frowned when she stepped in something sticky. She took a closer look at the substance on her shoe. It was yellowish, just like the forcefield. She had no idea what it was, but things only got stranger when she found something that looked like a small piece of greyish metal. It was thick and ridged and looked like some sort of armoury. She had seen it before…but where? She examined it more closely and suddenly it hit her.

"Kami…this metal is Hirogen…"

Shaking all over, she dropped to her knees.

"How is this possible? What are they doing here? And what's with the slime?"

Still shocked, she stood up again and grabbed the holocamera.

"I'd better find that Lara from the future, maybe she can tell me what's going on"

_Back at Cell and Mirai Lara…_

"LET GO!"

"You…will…not…defeat…me!"

The battle between Cells physical strength and Mirai Lara's psychic powers was still raging. The body versus the mind, an old classic, but this time with an alien twist. At the moment, it looked like Lara was slowly gaining the upper hand. Cell had to use all his energy to stay focused on what he was doing, but he found it increasingly difficult to do so. Not just his head was hurting, but now his entire body felt like it was being torn apart. His vision was steadily turning red and the entire world was spinning around him. Lara was going all out and he knew it would not be long before the excruciating pain would drive him mad.

"I don't have time for this you idiot! I have to finish my mission!" Lara yelled, while struggling to get free from Cell's grip. She had turned away from him again, but he didn't need to see the expression on her face to tell she was beginning to panic. He also felt her weakening.

"I can't…die yet!"

She weakened even further

"I haven't…told…them…"

The world stopped spinning

"Why aren't you feeling…?"

His vision started to return

"Not possible…"

The pain finally subsided.

Cell was exhausted, but quickly recovered. Lara, however, was barely conscious and hanging limp in his arms like a rag doll. After a long silence, he laughed darkly

"My, my, that was very impressive!" He arched his tail and slowly moved the syringe to her neck, "any last words, my dear?"

Lara opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, a familiar face appeared on the scene.

"Hey Lara, where are you? I found your holocamera and I wondered if you might…uh oh"

Susan gulped when she finally noticed that she was not alone.

"Uhm… Maybe I should just come back later…"

"It's no use trying to run," Cell smirked. "If I don't kill you, someone else will." He looked at Lara, who was too tired to comment. "Or at least, that's what our visitor here told me"

"Someone else?" Susan asked nervously, while keeping an eye on his tail.

"And apparently, it's your own fault" he added, remembering the I-won't-let-her-do-it-again thing.

"I don't remember having any enemies besides you," Susan paused and started counting on her fingers, "well…maybe the Hirogen, Vidiians, probably the Kazon too after that little incident three weeks ago, even though Lara was the one who tripped over that rock and set off the alarm…"

Cell's jaw dropped when she continued for what seemed like five hours.

"…the Hazari, Malon and uhm…what was he called again? X or Z or…Q! Yeah, now I remember!"

"My dear…" Cell tried, but she seemed lost in thought

"…the Kadi, the Cataati… Species 8472, but they hold a grudge against practically everyone so nothing special there…"

"You do realise I could kill you at any…"

"And of course the Borg, those guys are just nasty!" She smiled sheepishly. "That's basically it, I guess."

The android sweatdropped, he wasn't sure if even Dr. Gero had that many enemies!

"I…didn't…trip…you…did…" Lara mumbled under her breath

"You pushed me!"

"Only because…you were drooling over….that guard…."

"For the millionth time, I was only observing his behaviour!"

"It looked more like…you were just…observing his…"

Susan blushed.

"ACK! DON'T YOU DARE TELLING THAT!"

Suddenly, something rare happened: Mirai Lara laughed. Not just a fake smile or a sarcastic grin, but real laughter.

"Hahahaha! Kami…how I missed this…"

And with that, she passed out.

* * *

**A/N: **O dear, it seems like I skipped the corny end-chapter author note in chapter 24! Let me try to make it up: 

_"Things don't look good for our heroes! But than again, what else is new? Will Susan make it out of Basil Town alive? Will Mirai Lara's deep and dark secrets ever be revealed? Why is everyone (including me) letting Cell say "my dear" all the time, when he has only said it once or twice in the actual show? Stay tuned!"_

Heh, still think you can be cornier than me?

No?

I thought so.

**P.S.** I'm currently looking for a beta-reader for this story. If you are interested, send me an e-mail (it's in my profile). Thank you for reading and don't forget to review!


	26. Susan’s big mistake

A/N: (pant, pant) I'm done! I finally finished re-uploading all of the previous chapters, and I've written a new one to celebrate! I did something about the terrible grammar, and also tried to break up all of the dialogue a little. Since I began reading English books, I spotted more and more flaws in my story. A few of them were small, the others just made your brains melt. I wanted to write a new chapter earlier, but I felt like fixing the older ones first. I'm a lot happier with my work now, and I hope you are too!

P.S. See? See? I actually wrote "too" instead of "to"! Mhuahahaha! Fear my linguistic super powers! FEAR THEM I SAY! (throws her head back and cackles madly)

P.S. P.S. the storyline has not changed, except for one tiny detail: in chapter 22, Mirai Lara says that she placed seventy shield emitters to keep the Borg at bay. However, it's supposed to be only **seven** shield emitters (my bad!). It's fixed now, but I figured I should mention this particular mistake here, to make sure no one gets confused later on.

* * *

**Chapter 26: Susan's big mistake**

Second turned into minutes as the two visitors from the future faced each other. The third one was still unconscious. The tension could be cut with a knife: who would make the first move? Susan cautiously glanced at Mirai Lara. Her sister had no visible injuries and did not seem to be in pain. This was good. Unfortunately, she was also being restrained by Cell, and this was bad.

Very bad.

"Let her go Cell!" Susan finally demanded, hoping she sounded braver than she felt.

"Or else what?" he grinned maliciously

"Or else, I'll…uhm…well…I don't know yet, but you're not going to like it!"

_Ooooh… snappy comeback Susan, that'll certainly show him!_ She thought sarcastically.

Cell laughed, not impressed by her threats.

"I'm afraid you are no match for me, girl"

This time, Susan was the one who laughed.

"Ha! You're forgetting that I'm still faster than you, creep! And don't even think about your little 'energy beam thrust' manoeuvre, because I'm not going to fall for that old trick again!"

Cell, however, did not seem to be worried. He just stood there, looking confident as ever.

"My dear, have you taken a good look around?"

She raised an eyebrow, not sure what he was getting at. Cell noticed this and chuckled darkly.

"On your way here, how many humans did you see?"

Susan tried to remember. She had passed over a lot of towns on her way here, but there had not been a single living soul. Just empty clothes with….

_Oh no…_

A small gasp escaped her lips. How could she be have been so oblivious! Of course she knew he had absorbed them, but the fact that with every victim his power grew, had completely slipped her mind. How many humans had been living in those cities? Thousands? Tens of thousands? There already had been 15.000 lives lost in Ginger town alone, and some of the cities she had seen were even larger!

"Do you finally realise it now?" Cell smirked, "Thanks to their energy, I'm faster, stronger and more powerful than you can even begin to imagine! I don't need those silly 'tricks' to catch you anymore!"

Susan felt her stomach drop. He was not bluffing, she could sense it. She suddenly felt incredible foolish. As an Uranian, speed was very important to her. It was their pride, the thing that made other races throughout the galaxy either admire or envy them. Of course psychic powers were nice, but there were plenty of other species that had similar abilities. However, no one was as fast as an Uranian! It had never occurred to her, that this might not be the case in other dimensions, where all kinds of monsters roamed the galaxy and growing old was apparently a luxury, not many people got to enjoy. Their race was almost legendary where she came from, but here on this wretched planet, it meant absolutely nothing.

"Susan…"

Her thoughts were cut short by Mirai Lara, who was mumbling something.

"Fly…he can't catch you…if…"

Before she could finish her sentence, she slipped back into unconsciousness. It had been enough, though. So fast, that she even amazed herself, Susan jumped up into the air, making sure she was well out of Cells reach. He growled and prepared to follow her, but suddenly understood what his captive had meant.

_Damn! I can't fly! I have to suppress my powerlevel, or else the Z-fighters will sense me, and I haven't fully recovered from that woman's attack yet! _

He looked up at Susan, and was surprised to see that she hadn't left yet. The girl appeared to have an inner conflict.

_Why isn't she…_

His musings were interrupted, when he suddenly felt Lara stir a little.

_Ah…of course…_

He smirked evilly.

"What's wrong, girl?" he taunted, "This is your chance, I suggest you take it"

"I won't leave until you let her go!" she snapped at him, but her voice was very shaky. He could see fear in her eyes.

"You choose loyalty over life, even though you stand no chance at all?"

"Who says I don't stand a chance? As long as I don't land, you can't catch me!"

"And just how are you going to save your sister if you wont come down?" he laughed at her, "The only reason she's still breathing, is because I allow her to. You can leave now, or try to attack, but it wont do her any good"

"Ooh, I wouldn't be so sure about that!" she smirked, "It would be a shame if I fled and alerted the Z-fighters, wouldn't it? It will certainly make things more difficult for you. There is another option, though: you forget about killing her, and I'll forget ever seeing you here. Do we have a deal?"

Cell just snorted, and rolled his eyes in sarcasm.

"And I suppose you know exactly where your friends are, even though you obviously can't sense powerlevels?"

_D'OH!_

"Uhm…well…" she stuttered, mentally smacking herself.

"And if you find them, you can tell them what happened and get back here, all in less than a second, so I won't have time to hide in another town and absorb her there in peace?"

_And again: D'OH!_

"If you're trying to scare me," he sneered, "I'm afraid you'll have to do better than…"

"HYYYYYYYYIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAA!"

With a loud cry, Susan suddenly dashed forward and kicked him straight in the face! Startled by her sudden assault, he let go of Lara. For a minute, Susan felt like she was floating outside her body and was watching everything from a distance. She had acted pure out of instinct. In the confusion that followed, she quickly grabbed her sister and flew away at breakneck speed.

A bit bewildered, Cell slowly reached for his face. His mind was still trying to register what just had happened. She attacked him! That girl had actually attacked him!

He growled: how dared she! Needless to say, Susan was asking herself the same question

"Oh man! I can't believe I did that!" she panicked, as she fled away with Mirai Lara in her arms. Susan didn't try to look over her shoulder, afraid that it would slow her down. She glanced at her sister.

_Where did you come from?_ she thought. _What happened to you? Why did you run from your friends, and into the arms of that…that monster? I don't know why, but somehow, I doubt that you just stumbled into him by accident._

A few minutes later, Susan stopped and took a look around. Strangely, there was no sign of Cell, but she did spot a deserted hospital.

_Good, _she thought, _I'll just hide in there for a while until I'm sure he's gone, and in the mean time, maybe I can find something to patch up Lara._

With a sigh of relief, she quickly dived down, but suddenly crashed into something that felt like a brick wall. Unfortunately, the "wall" happened to be the raven haired leader of a certain trio, Susan really had not wanted to come across…

**_Earlier that afternoon…_**

"He aims, he shoots, HE SCORES!"

17 laughed, and prepared to fire at another car, but 18 beat him to it

"Too slow, brother!" she shouted above the explosion.

"Just wait, I'll show you how its done!" he yelled back, while blowing up an abandoned school bus.

"Hey 16!" 18 called out, "any sign of Goku yet?"

"No" he answered. The androids had dumped the van a few hours ago, when 17 finally got bored of driving. They killed time by having fun with passing humans, but at some point during their journey, all the towns that they passed were empty, so they decided to blow op cars instead. The strangest thing was, that the streets were covered with clothes. This would've been android 18's dream come true, if it had not been for all the holes in them. It was like the entire population had taken of their clothes, cut them up with some scissors, and was now running around naked somewhere in a secret hiding place. 17 had been almost certain that this was the case, until walked into an electronics store and heard something on the radio about "the Monster of Nicky Town". It's description resembled that of the creature, that girl had told him about. What had happened to her anyway? Perhaps that thing got her? Not like he cared, of course.

Suddenly, he spotted a very strange vehicle hidden behind a large tree. It was rather small, but all the windows were darkened, so he figured it was owned by some paranoid rich guy who didn't want to be spotted by bored snipers, or something like that. Humans often were stupid that way.

He smirked evilly, a mischievous gleam in his icy blue eyes.

"Hey sis!" he shouted, "see that car over there?"

"The one with the fancy windows?"

"Yeah! Bonus points to whoever blows it up first!"

"You're on, 17!"

Laughing, she quickly fired a small ki-blast at the windshield, only to be surprised by a explosion that was a lot bigger than she had expected.

"What was THAT!" 18 exclaimed, and turned pale when she realised that she was covered in slime.

"ARGH! My hair! It's ruined!"

"Chill out sis," he chuckled, "see that hospital over there? You can take a shower, while 16 scouts the area and finishes his scan for Goku"

The female android frowned.

"And what about you?" she asked, knowing how easily her brother got bored.

"Don't worry," he smirked when he saw a familiar face approaching in the distance, "I already found a way to entertain myself…"

* * *

A/N: Sooooooo, loved it? Hated it? Crying because I got tired of writing a corny end chapter note every single time (I might write one from time to time, though)? Let me know! 


	27. Super midget to the rescue!

**A/N: ** I'm a bit disappointed. I fixed all the previous chapters for as far as I know, and added a new one to boot. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten one single review! I'm not going to demand at least 2000 reviews before I post the next chapter (I hate it when people do that), but if there is something wrong with my story that makes every reader scream in horror and faint, I need to know what it is, before I can fix it. Then again, maybe there aren't just that many people that like both DBZ and Star Trek Voyager and in that case, I'll just accept it and shamelessly attempt to bribe the few readers that I have with virtual boxes of authentic Dutch chocolate sprinkles. Come on, you know you want 'em…

P.S. For everyone who's still trying to find an answer to my question in chapter 25, I already found out on my own: Cell said "my dear"…(drumroll)…TWO TIMES! I don't care though, I think it suits him, heehee!

* * *

**Chapter 27: Super midget to the rescue!  
**

"Well, hello there!"

Susan yelped in surprise and backed away from the raven-haired android.

_O god… not him!_

"Aren't you happy to see me?" he asked with a smug look on his face

"I…don't know"

That was a true answer. Her mind told her she was not, but she hadn't entirely let go of him yet. Even after what had happed back at Pepper Town when he held a ki-blast in front of her face. Even after he nearly strangled her to death at Capsule Corp, making clear that she was only alive for his amusement. Even after all of that, she couldn't hate him.

"What kind of answer is that?" he questioned, but when she just stayed silent, he decided to change the subject.

"Who's your friend?" he asked casually, "I think I saw her before when you were on your little suicide mission"

"None of your business", Mirai Lara suddenly growled, as she woke up and pushed Susan away

"Hey!" Susan exclaimed

"What on Earth did you think you were doing?" Lara suddenly hissed at her

"How about saving you?" she shot back, a bit insulted.

"I did not travel 30 years back in time, to see you get yourself killed, you idiot!"

"IDIOT?" Susan fumed, "_I_ wasn't the one caught in Cell's bearhug!"

"I had everything under control!"

At this, the blue haired Uranian rolled her eyes in sarcasm.

"Oh, and I suppose falling unconscious and almost getting absorbed was all part of your ingenious plan to escape?"

"Cell is somehow stronger than in my timeline and I underestimated him." she said grim, "It will not happen again"

"Whoa, wait a minute… he's stronger?"

"Yes, but it won't…" Lara paused when she seemed to have spotted something on 17's sweater. "What's _that_?" she asked him almost threatening.

17 glanced at his clothing. He had not been entirely covered in slime like 18, but there were still a few splodges here and there. He had not bothered getting it cleaned, though.

"I asked you a question," Lara hissed between clenched teeth, "ANSWER ME!"

"I dunno," 17 shrugged casually, "it came from some car we blew up. What's it to you?"

The woman froze right on the spot. She had shielded her emotions the entire time, but Susan suddenly felt an almost overwhelming aura of fear around her future sister.

"Lara?" she tried, "Is everything okay?"

"Uhm…S-sure," she smiled, letting go of the android's collar, "if those two destroyed only one, there are still six left"

"Uhm…five" Susan mumbled

Lara whirled around.

"WHAT?"

"Yeah…" she smiled sheepishly, "I don't know if those cars are very important to you, but I kind of crashed into one with Bulma's hover bike when I was looking for you, hehehe…"

Lara balled her fists and shot a deadly glare at both her sister and the android.

"You…IDIOTS!" she yelled, trembling with rage, "Do you have any idea what you have DONE?"

"No, we do not," Susan protested, "because you won't tell us anything!"

Lara opened her mouth to retaliate, but Susan wasn't going to let her be cut off just like that.

"You came here in the Delta Flyer, that has somehow been repaired, there were pieces of Hirogen armour in those "cars" and Goku is missing while he appears to be perfectly fine on your holocamera!"

Lara growled, like a frightened animal trapped in a corner.

"That wasn't a camera!" she snapped, like Susan had just said something very stupid. "it's an amulet!"

"An amulet?"

"Yes! It was a gift from a friend," she lowered her head, "when I feel like I don't have the strength to go on, it shows me how things could be… how things should've been… and then I know why I'm here again"

17 suddenly yawned.

"Look, this little look-at-me-I'm-so-traumatized act of yours is very amusing, but don't you think you have bigger things to worry about?"

Lara snickered, "Ah yes, I forgot. You still think you're the strongest android on the planet, right?"

"I don't think I'm the strongest," 17 boasted cocky, "I KNOW I'm the strongest!"

"You have no idea what…" Lara stopped mid-sentence and looked at the streets below them, where android 16 had appeared on the scene.

"No…no way…" she whispered, her face had turned extremely pale. "a third android?"

she floated down until she was only inches away from the silent giant's face, and franticly started to scan him with her tricorder. Strangely, he didn't seem to mind.

"Your friend is rather bold, isn't she?" 17 commented, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"She's not just a friend…" Susan said grim, "she's the future version of Lara, 30 years from now"

17 cocked an eyebrow.

"She doesn't look _that_ old" he stated mockingly, obviously not believing a word she said

"Uranians have a much longer lifespan than humans, about 280 years. We age about 3,5 times slower"

"I'm sure you do," he said in the same mocking tone.

"You don't believe me, don't you?"

"Oh, I believe you're an alien alright," he smirked, "but I'm not buying the starship, alternate dimensions, relatives from the future, or giant cockroaches that want to absorb us. In fact, I think you're just making it all up to distract me!"

Susan couldn't help but snort at his stupidity.

"Why on Urania would I make up a story like THAT!" she yelled, not believing the android's thickheadedness. He smirked again, and was about to answer that question, but…

"Leave her alone!" a voice suddenly shouted from above. There, on the roof of the hospital, stood Krillin. He tried to look brave, but he was shaking like a leaf, the words 'Oh crap!' ringing in his mind over and over again.

"Hey look everyone!" 17 laughed, "it's Super Midget, coming to the rescue!"

The monk gulped, but regained his composure.

"Susan, get out of here! I'll distract him!"

"Krillin! You can't fight here!" Susan shouted, "Cell will sense you!"

Unfortunately, 17 had already whizzed past her and kicked the poor warrior straight in his stomach! Krillin hurtled towards the street but stopped himself at the last moment. He whirled around, and powered up an attack of his own.

"DESTRUCTO DISK!" he cried as he threw the razor sharp energy disk at the smug looking android.

"So, baldy wants to play?" 17 smirked as he raised his hand and effortlessly caught the attack and flung it back at it's creator. "Tag! You're it!"

The Uranian watched in horror as the battle raged on. Somehow, she doubted that the android would actually kill him. Unfortunately, she also doubted that Cell would feel the same once he found them. She glanced down, but could not find 16 or Lara. Were they fighting somewhere else?

"You should leave now"

Susan froze when she felt a large hand on her shoulder. She whirled around to face the giant that had been silent the whole time, until now.

"It's not safe here," he continued in a friendly voice, "Cell will be here soon"

She blinked at his kindness. He was definitely not a heartless killing machine like the others. She could not sense his emotions, but there was just something about him that made her feel safe.

"How… do you know that?" she asked, "I thought androids could not sense powerlevels?"

"I'm a different model, I have internal sensors that can detect most energy signals on this planet." He closed his eyes as in he was in deep thought and after a few seconds, his calm expression turned into one of confusion. His eyes shot open again. "I lost him"

"What do you mean?" Susan asked worried

"His signal has disappeared from my sensors, I am unable to determine his location"

"Well, talking about missing people" Susan said, trying her hardest to suppress the urge to panic, "where's my friend?"

"She lost consciousness a few minutes ago"

"WHAT?" Susan exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention

"Susan! Are you alri-" he was cut short (no pun intended, heehee!) by 17, who grabbed his arm and with a swing, sent him skidding across the street.

"Do not worry," 16 continued, like nothing was going on, "I moved her to a safe location"

"Where?"

"That's what I'd like to know," a familiar voice suddenly boomed from above.

Slowly, Susan looked up and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. There he was, high up in the air like a surreal angel of death. Cell. Seru. Android 21. He let his gaze fell on Susan's new friend.

"What do we have here?" he wondered quietly, "I don't recognise this one?"

Cell shifted his gaze to Susan and their eyes locked. Hers filled with fear, his with malice. He grinned evilly.

"You shouldn't have kicked me in the face back there," he mockingly waved his index finger at her, "it was very rude!"

"Ha!" she blurted out, "And you're saying that murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent people for no reason, is not?". His grin disappeared and Susan mentally kicked herself for even breathing, when she saw that it had been replaced with a scowl. Uh oh…

"I had a very good reason, my dear," he rasped, "they possessed the energy I needed to become strong enough to absorb the androids and achieve my perfect form. I believe we already discussed this a few days ago." He smiled darkly, "Don't you remember our little talk back in Ginger town?"

"I'm still trying to forget, if you don't mind"

"Now, why would you want to do that?" he asked mockingly

"You know very darn well why!" she barked at him.

He laughed, sending chills down Susan's spine.

"Even though I'm enjoying our little stroll through memory lane, I'm afraid I have some more pressing matters to-"

_**WHAM!**_

Before Cell could finish his sentence, 17 suddenly charged and with a sickening blow to the head, slammed him into a nearby office building.

"Don't worry, _dear_" he said, mockingly imitating Cell, "I'll get rid of the big bad bug!"

The 'big bad bug' however, wasn't phased by the cocky android's surprise attack. Taking his sweet time, he climbed out of the debris, and dusted himself off.

"Android 17, I'm glad to see you have such a fighting spirit." He chuckled, "I will enjoy adding it to my perfection"

"Like hell!" the boy replied arrogantly, but Cell just smirked.

"We'll see…"


	28. Way of the warrior

**A/N:** I'm so glad that I got a review for the previous chapter, I was afraid no one was reading this anymore! Keep 'em coming guys, even if they're short. I love getting feedback on my work!

* * *

**Chapter 28: Way of the warrior**

"Now wait a minute, this isn't supposed to….ARGH!"

Frustrated, Bulma slammed her fist on her desk when for the 47th time in a row, the words "Access Denied" appeared on the screen on one of Mirai Lara's datapads. Yawning, she reached for her coffee, but…

"Hey! Who took my mug!"

"That would be me," The Doctor said reprimanding. "You shouldn't drink this garbage, it poisons your body and-"

"I don't care!" she growled, glaring daggers at the arrogant hologram, "I need my caffeine!"

"Not on my watch," he said as he poured the coffee down the sink, "you're even worse than Captain Janeway!"

Bulma groaned and sank back into her chair. She had been awake for almost 72 hours straight, working on the Delta Flyer, then the Doctors shuttle, the remote to shut down the androids and the datapads, Piccolo had managed to get out of Mirai Lara's ship. The first three had all been destroyed and Bulma was beginning to lose hope on ever successfully completing the fourth project. Also, they had tried to increase the range of the Doctors combadge, but so far, no one had responded to their hails. Bulma had managed to amplify the signal significantly, but for some reason, it just seemed to bounce right back. After a few more fruitless attempts, she had decided to drop it for now.

Bulma sighed and glanced at Lara, who was staring out the window. She hadn't said much since they got here, which worried her.

"Lara?" she tried, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered absentmindedly, "I was trying to see if I could spot Voyager somewhere"

"Don't worry, I'm sure the Captain has the entire crew working around the clock to find a way to get us back," the Doctor assured her.

"But why is it taking them so long? I mean… you said the transporters were only damaged, not completely destroyed, right? And what about the communications? I know about the interference, but shouldn't B'Elanna have figured out a solution for that about now?"

"Lara, please calm down"

"NO!" she yelled at him, "I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! Something's wrong, I just know it!"

"Well, what do you think happened then?" Bulma snapped, the noise and lack of sleep making her feel like she had just been run over by a truck.

"I… I don't know! But I have a feeling that my future self does! Maybe she also knows something about your friend, sick people normally don't just disappear into thin air, you know!"

"Unless they're transported…"

Everyone turned to the Doctor, who looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"I thought Voyager's transporters were down?"

"Maybe they did fix them, but something went wrong?" Bulma wondered, "If Goku is on Voyager, that would probably explain why Piccolo and the others can't sense him"

"I still say something's just not right! The Borg for instance, why aren't they attacking? What's stopping them?"

"You mean, who's stopping them? I think it's pretty obvious your future self has something to do with that"

Lara did not answer. Instead, she turned to the window again and opened it.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm tired of just sitting here! In my dimension, Earth used to have an organisation called NASA, there has to be something similar on this planet!"

"That would be Capsule Corporation, and our ships aren't nearly as fast as yours!" Bulma objected, "Cell would see you and blast you out of the sky before you're even out of orbit!"

"Or," the Doctor added, "he'll follow you, find out Voyager is here, and absorb everyone on board!"

"But…there's got to be something we can do!"

"You're sister is trying to find Mirai Lara, and the Z-fighters are all searching for Cell. The only thing we can do now is to continue working on a way to read these datapads. They seem to be password protected, but I can't hack my way past them"

"If you can't hack, we'll just have to guess!"

Bulma rolled her eyes in sarcasm.

"Like I haven't tried that! I already had my computer enter every word in it's linguistic database, but nothing works!"

"What languages does it contain?" the Doctor asked

"All of them!"

"Even Vulcan? Romulan? Klingon? Vidiian? Talax?"

Bulma blinked, and suddenly realised her mistake. The database contained all Earth languages, but no alien ones!

"Let me have those datapads Bulma, in a few days we'll know what…"

"Maybe it doesn't have to take that long" Lara interrupted him, "try entering: 'Kirrïa'"

"What's that?" Bulma asked, and Lara grinned.

"It's Uranian for 'Password'…"

* * *

Susan and Krillin were watching the fight between 17 and Cell. It was still too early to tell who had the upper hand, but Susan had a bad feeling about it. The raven-haired android was extremely fast, but so was Cell. Of course, 17 had the advantage of infinite energy, but Cell did not look like he was going tire out any day soon. 

"Hey, what's going on here!"

They whirled around to see the female android behind them.

"Well, uhm", Krillin stammered, his head beet red "…uhh…you see…ehehehe..."

18 cocked an eyebrow, and glanced at the battle that was still raging.

"Typical, I'm only away for a few minutes to take a shower and already my brother has gotten himself into a fight." She brushed a lock of wet hair out of her face.

"Can he win?"

The android looked at Susan

"Hmm?"

"Your brother… do you think he's strong enough to beat Cell?"

"What do you care?"

Susan looked away, hoping that 18 would not see her blush.

"Look lady, you have to get out of here!" Krillin suddenly blurted out, "Cell's just toying with 17, and if he gets absorbed, Cell will become unstoppable!"

"If he's so dangerous, what are you doing here all alone?" she smiled at him

"Well…I…uhm…"

"She has a point there, Krillin," Susan agreed, "where are the others?"

"Trunks, Vegeta, Gohan and Piccolo are at Kami's lookout" he whispered, making sure Cell could not hear them, "Piccolo told us that Kami knew something about a room where you can train for a whole year in just one day! The rest of us are still searching for Goku, but so far no luck"

"If Cell absorbs the androids, we won't even have 24 seconds, let alone 24 hours!"

"Than we'll… just have to stall him"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Susan panicked, "_'WE'_ have to stall him? I don't know how to fight! I can't even do the Vulcan nervepinch!"

"What are you two worried about?" 18 asked in a bored tone, "just look at them, that overgrown bug doesn't stand a chance against 17"

"Cell is still holding back!" Krillin protested, "I can sense he's suppressing his powerlevel!"

18 rolled her eyes, and flied over to 16, who was standing on the roof of the hospital.

"Oh, man…" Krillin groaned, "this is not good! We have to do something!"

"Maybe she's right," Susan tried, "maybe her brother can defeat Cell, or at least wear him out!"

They both looked at the ongoing battle. Where it had seemed like anything could happen at first, it was now obvious that the bio-android was winning. 17 was being pummelled into the ground, picked up by his collar and kicked into a nearby building. He quickly jumped back to his feet again, but Cell appeared right behind him and grabbed his neck.

"Got you now!" he cackled triumphantly

"I…don't…think…so!" 17 gasped, as he summoned all his strength to kick Cell in the stomach. Cell's grip weakened, and 17 shot up into the air. He smirked evilly, and raised his hands above his head.

"What is he…" Krillin mumbled, and suddenly went bug-eyed. "OH NO! HIT THE DIRT!"

He grabbed Susan by her waist and dived down to the ground, barely evading the android's attack. He was firing hundreds and hundreds of ki-blasts at an insane rate, making sure his target was completely destroyed. When the smoke cleared, only a smouldering crater could be seen.

"Wow…" Susan whispered in awe, "He got him!"

"17! It's not over!" 16 shouted from the roof of the hospital

"What are you talking about, 16!" the raven-haired android shouted back, "There's no way he could've survived my ultimate attack!"

"Cell is alive, according to my sensors he is hardly damaged! Escape is highly recommended!"

Just as 17 was about to protest, he saw something moving in the corner of his eye. He whirled around to see Cell bursting out of the ground! He laughed manically and opened up the tip of his tail, but a powerful punch sent him reeling through the air and slammed him into an abandoned school bus. Growling, he got back up and spotted the silent giant, standing protectively in front of his brother, determined to defeat the menacing monster.

_In the mean time…_

"I will not… I can't…AHH!"

_"How long do you plan to keep fighting us Goku?"_

"I'm… not listening to you!"

_"Resistance if futile,"_ the Queen's response echoed trough his mind, _"don't you hear our voices Goku? Don't you hear the Collective calling you? Join us, be one with us! We are Borg!"_

"Tien…Gohan… I won't let you hurt…"

It stayed quiet for a minute, and then the Queen's voice returned.

_"You can't hide your fears from us Goku. You are afraid that we will use your power to hurt your friends. Fear is irrelevant. Love is irrelevant. Individuality is irrelevant. However, due to the level of your resistance, we are prepared to make things more easy for you"_

"What do you mean?"

_"Embrace the Collective, let your mind join ours and we will leave this dimension in peace"_

"How do I know I can trust you?" he groaned with great difficulty

_"We only want you, Goku,"_ the Queen cooed, having learned more about his weaknesses than she let on, _"you have… our word of honour"

* * *

_

**A/N: **Ooh, sneaky, isn't she? Do you think I left her and Goku in character? I hope so! Stay tuned!


	29. Shattered hopes

**A/N**: Oh my… long chapter this time, and an important one too! It took me ages to write, but I do believe it's one of the best chapters I've written so far. I'm going to give myself a pat on the back now, my monstrous ego can not survive on bragging about my new socks alone. Enjoy the latest instalment and don't forget to review! Maje Culluh demands it!

MC: I do not!

Authoress: Yes, you do!

MC: I am Maje Culluh, ruler of the Kazon-Nistrim! I will not take orders from a woman!

Authoress: You will follow my orders and like it, or I'll shut down the Gravity Room!

MC: Huh?

Authoress: Sorry, you reminded me of someone else (grins sheepishly). Now get out there and threaten my readers, or I'll let Neelix play your part in the story!

Mc: Eep!

* * *

**Chapter 29: Shattered hopes**

"Man, this is so frustrating! We looked almost everywhere and we haven't found a single trace!"

Tien slammed his fist into the ground. He, Yamcha and Chiaotzu had been searching for hours, but Goku seemed to have vanished. Now, they were walking through a park, trying to ignore the various picnic baskets and the empty clothes of their previous owners.

"Please calm down Tien," Chiaotzu said, "I'm sure we will find him"

The triclops looked down at his friend and smiled, not wanting to worry him.

"What are we going to do now?" Yamcha asked. "Should we go and join the others on Kami's lookout?"

"Maybe that's…"

Tien stopped mid-sentence when he spotted something. There, lying comfortably in the shade of a tree, was Mirai Lara. She did not appear to be wounded, but she was unconscious and her energy was a bit low. Like a little kid who had just found a snake, he poked her and hoped she would not bite.

"What happened to her?" Yamcha wondered

"I have a bad feeling about this," Tien said grim. "We should get her to Bulma!"

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Yamcha objected. "What if Lara finds out that Bulma's examining her stuff? You know what happened to Piccolo when she thought he got too nosy"

"Well, what do you suggest we do then?"

"You and Chiaotzu should go to Bulma alone, and ask if she or maybe Voyager's Doctor have found out anything about Goku yet. I'll get our visitor to Kame House and see what I can do"

Tien looked at the former Desert Bandit. He wasn't used to this unusual display of…leadership. He was taking his friends disappearance very hard and probably hoped that the unconscious Uranian held the answers he needed to find him. The warrior sighed.

"Good luck, my friend"

"Yeah… you too guys," he smiled wryly, as he picked the woman up in his arms. "Something tells me we're all going to need it"

* * *

"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!"

Cell hissed and snarled like a wild animal as he leaped back to his feet. Growling, he examined the bloody stump where his tail used to be, before 16 had ripped it off.

"YEAH! Nice job 16!" the raven-haired android cheered from the sideline. His sister grinned and flew over to her brothers, confident that Cell was no longer a threat. Krillin seemed relieved too, until Susan tapped him on the shoulder.

"Uhm… Krillin?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Piccolo said he could regenerate lost limbs, so if Cell has his DNA, doesn't that mean…"

Krillin yelped when he realised what she meant, but before he could warn the androids, Cell had already beat him to it.

"Very clever 16," he smirked, "but I'm afraid your efforts are futile."

The bio-android laughed darkly as a new tail sprouted from the stump. Absentmindedly, he whipped it a few times and droplets of acid-like fluid burned away the pavement where they fell.

"Oh great," Krillin mumbled. He continued to watch the fight between 16 and Cell, getting more worried every minute. Cell had just recovered from a serious injury, so his Saiyan cells had probably made him even stronger than he was before. Also, he was starting to fight dirty. Sneaking up from behind, hiding inside buildings, using his tail to launch a surprise attack when the mechanical android had managed to pin him to a wall, and so on. Every move was calculated, every energy blast perfectly aimed. Cell did not only have incredible strength and speed, but also amazing skills. It also worried Krillin, that the android never took his eyes off them, nor his prey. He was not fighting to beat 16, he was merely trying to distract him, waiting for just the right opportunity to strike. A ruthless hunter, a skilled fighter and an amazing strategist. Maybe Cell was not a perfect being, but he was without a doubt, the perfect assassin.

"K-Krillin?"

"Yeah?"

Susan looked at him, fear evident in her eyes.

"We… we're not going to survive this, are we?"

The monk sighed. He glanced back at the blue-haired girl and smiled sheepishly.

"Don't worry," he said in a fake cheery voice, "we'll just wait until that big android beats him to a bloody green pulp and then make a run for it when they're not looking. After this is over, we can go to Kami's tower and wait for Trunks and…"

"Give it up Krillin, I can sense you're lying"

Krillin gulped. Oh man! How could he forget about that? He felt incredibly guilty. Lying normally always made things worse and now he was rubbing it in that she didn't stand a chance, by basically treating her like a toddler. Don't worry little girl, that red stuff on their body isn't blood, it's…uhm…ketchup! That pale looking man over there is just sleeping, and 'Fluffy' went away for a veeeeeeery long vacation to 'Happy Sunshine Animal Island'!

"I'm sorry, Susan," he mumbled.

"It's alright, know you just tried to make me feel better… But seriously, what are we going to do?"

As if on cue, they heard Android 18 scream in terror. Cell had fired Vegeta's famous Gallic Gun and the devastating attack was heading straight for her! Faster than anyone could react, 16 jumped in front of it and shielded his friend from the blast with his own body.

"Oh no!" Krillin panicked. "Cell knew 16 would sacrifice himself! That was his plan all along!"

Horrified, they tried to see how much damage the silent warrior had taken. It turned out to be quite a lot. His green armour was cracked and had scorch marks all over it. His black bodysuit was ripped to shreds, barely covering him. They also noticed that a big chunk of his skull was missing, exposing the sparking wiring underneath it. To top it off, 17 and 18 had to support him because the crippled android was barely able to stay on his feet.

"It seems the balance has tipped in my favour, don't you agree 16?" He smirked as he took a step towards the trio. Susan could not sense their emotions. She could catch something if she concentrated very hard, but it was more of a blank feeling. Merely a very weak signal that they were alive and only if she was close to them. From the big android, she did not get anything at all! It was not ki what she sensed, since androids didn't have that. It was probably just some kind of residue. A small trace of their lost humanity. She had never actually seen a Borg drone, besides on a view screen or in the Holodeck, but she figured that it would probably feel the same. 17 and 18 weren't nearly as messed up as those cybernetic zombies, but she had learned from Bulma that their original brains had been replaced with much more efficient, artificial ones. There was no collective that controlled their enhanced, but still mostly organic, brains! She was just unable to pick up a real signal, because only a living, organic brain emitted those. And since 16 had always been a machine, she could not get anything from him because there weren't any 'after images'!

A bit dazed from the sudden realisation, she tried focusing on Cell and almost immediately wished that she hadn't. Apart from a few small traces of technology, this creature was completely organic. If the androids were the Borg of this dimension, then Cell was species 8472. There was one important difference, though. Unlike species 8472, Cell was as evil as they came. He did not want to "purge the galaxy" because of a simple misunderstanding. He killed for the sheer thrill of it. His driving force being a ever growing lust for power that, in the end, would consume them all.

Literally.

The monster stalked closer to his prey, a sinister grin spreading across his face. They looked so helpless… 17 looked so helpless… His eyes were as big as dinner plates, the pupil reduced to a pinprick. He was shaking like a leaf, his mind still trying to wrap itself around the fact that they were not on top of the food chain anymore. She felt Krillin's fear growing and realised that 18 wasn't doing so well either. She was also confused and scared out of her wits, clutching herself to 16, like a child hiding behind her mother's leg. They did not deserve this… no one did.

"Go away!" the female android finally yelled. "Leave us alone!"

"Why are you so afraid of me?" Cell asked in a mock innocent tone, "I do not mean you any harm"

"That's right, you only want to destroy us!" her brother spat.

"I have no intention of destroying you, 17," Cell said. "You're much too valuable to me. We are like pieces of a puzzle, designed to fit together as one!"

"Puzzles eh? I'm more of a videogame person, if you don't mind." He grinned at his own joke.

"In that case, I'm sorry I have to tell you that it's 'Game Over' for you and your sister"

"Oh Kami!" Susan suddenly exclaimed, "That's the worst pun I ever heard!"

He turned his head to the Uranian and narrowed his gaze.

"Hello my dear, I'm glad to see you're still alive. You've been so quiet that I almost forgot about you"

Susan did not need her senses to know he was being sarcastic. She had been watching the events unfolding before her eyes and he mocked her, for being too afraid to act.

"You're not going to get away with this, you freak!" Krillin shouted angrily.

"And what are you going to do? Stare me to death?"

"Just wait until Goku gets back! He'll show you!"

Cell cocked an invisible eyebrow and laughed darkly.

"Ah, that's right… she hasn't told you yet, has she?"

Krillin turned to Susan, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Not her, you idiot! I mean her sister, the one from the future…"

"Who are you calling an idiot!" Krillin snapped, but much more quietly. Cell knew something they did not, and he needed to stay cool if he wanted the android to spill the beans.

Cell chuckled softly.

"What did she tell you?" Susan demanded, suppressing the urge to throw up when Cell made eye contact with her. She was so scared of him, her weak Uranian nerve system almost buckling under his gaze.

"Well, let's just say that Goku and his new friends won't be joining us for a while"

"H-his new f-friends?" Krillin stammered, but Susan knew what he meant.

"Voyager…Goku's on Voyager! He didn't disappear, he was transported!" She paused, remembering the other disturbing statement the malicious android had made. "Why won't they be joining us? You attacked them, didn't you! You bastard!"

"I assure you, my dear, I have not laid a finger on them"

"But if you haven't… then who…" she trailed of when the horrible truth suddenly dawned on her.

"No…." she gasped, "no, no, no, no, no… Impossible! You're lying! You have to be!"

"I see that your fear has affected your prized Uranian senses as well," he smirked.

"it's not possible… they can't be…NO! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!"

Susan finally broke down and started to cry uncontrollably. She did not hear Cell laughing or Krillin who tried to calm her down. _Voyager is gone… everyone is gone… they're all Borg!_

"Susan! Calm down, you're losing it!"

Krillin's words barely reached her. She was hyperventilating, her own tears blurring her vision. Susan was having a panic attack that, even for Uranian standards, was off the scale. How could she calm down? It was her fault, it was all her fault! Getting the dilithium had been Lara's idea, but if she had not agreed to pilot the Flyer, none of this would've happened! They would not have ended up in this dimension, Captain Janeway wouldn't have followed them and they would not… Mirai Lara would not… Oh Kami, she could not breathe! She had to get away! Just fly away from this horror and forget everything that happened. She had to run, she had to escape! She had to get away! Get away! Get away!

Raw instincts had taking over. Adrenaline rushed through her body and she bolted away with incredible speed. She was faster than she had ever been before. Even Cell blinked at her sudden boost.

_Faster… I have to go faster… I have to get away!_

Unfortunately, the android was only phased for about half a second. Quickly, he threw a ki-blast at her. She was flying to fast to hit, but he had managed to send a building crashing down on her.

It was as if everything started to move in slow-motion. Susan looked up and froze on the spot when she saw the building in front of her collapse. Krillin took off at breakneck speed but there was no way he was going to make it in time. As the shadow of the construction loomed over her, Susan felt her mind slowly shutting down. She suddenly heard a surprised gasp from the others and became vaguely aware that two strong arms were holding her. Glancing up at her rescuer, she could not help but let out a surprised gasp herself before her nerves could not take it anymore and she finally slipped into unconsciousness.


	30. A hero’s demise

**A/N:** Do you know what it's like, when you are absolutely stuck and suddenly a million idea's pop up in your head? It's great! I should also thank my reviewers for their encouraging reviews. It really means a lot to me!

MC: What about me, woman? Don't I get a thank you note?

Authoress: (sigh) oh, Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelix!

MC: Ack! Alright! Alright! Just don't cut me out of the story!

Authoress: Like I would do that… (snickers)

* * *

**Chapter 30: A hero's demise**

"You have our word of honour"

"You…don't…have…honour!"

The Queen could not help but growl. She was getting more frustrated by the minute. At first, she had been amused by his resistance, then annoyed and now worried. Little by little, the Saiyan gave in to the calls of the collective, but he refused to stop fighting. Of course, he was not been the first individual who did not surrender willingly. Many had tried to resist her voice, but none of them succeeded. Not without help, anyway. Could that be it? She tried to recall the events that had taken place during the battle for Unimatrix Zero. Captain Janeway and two of her crewmembers had managed to sneak aboard her vessel in an attempt to sabotage her plans. They had been discovered and assimilated, or at least, she thought they had been. In the end, it turned out that the intruders had been using a neural suppressor, that blocked the voice of the collective. It was not perfect though, because the Vulcan had succumbed to the hive mind. Still, it had taken some time before he did and the others were not affected. Could the Saiyan be using something like that? For some reason, she doubted it. He had been on her ship for a few days and no neural suppressor she knew, worked that long.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGHH!"

Startled by a roar from the assimilation chambers, she rushed back only to see it completely destroyed. Quickly, she called for her drones. The Saiyan had broken free of his restraints and was now desperately trying to find a way of the ship. How? How had he escaped? He was too weak!

Damage reports started coming in. Goku had somehow transformed to a state where his hair was yellow and his eyes were emerald green. It was called… Super Saiyan? What an odd name…

"Come out!" he yelled. "Come out and fight me!"

"You are in no condition to fight," she mocked mentally.

"I have seen it! For a few seconds, I could see it! The true face of your collective! I will not become a part of it!"

"You are one of us now Goku, why don't you just accept your fate!" she sneered.

"I will never accept it! I'll kill myself before I will let you get me!"

Boom! Another explosion rocked her vessel. The Saiyan was going berserk! This was getting out of hand, but the Queen did not feel like giving him up. There had to… huh?

Somewhere, on one of the other cubes, a discovery had just been made. Goku had not been fighting them off with sheer willpower alone. A certain chemical in the brain of a Saiyan had somehow 'protected' his conscience. It was similar to adrenaline, only much stronger. Of course, now that she knew, it would be easy to adapt.

"It seems that you are losing your battle, Goku"

"I will destroy this entire ship before that happens!"

"Go ahead, try it. We will not stop you"

Normally, Goku would have been suspicious, but he was too angry and confused to even think straight. He raised his hands and started collecting energy for a Genki Dama. Suddenly, everything started to spin. The voices of the collective grew louder and louder and he felt himself drowning in a sea of chaos. Vaguely, he remembered that drones had almost no energy to spare and there was not enough time to try and collect energy from other sources such as Earth. Barely able to stand on his legs, he cupped his hands in a kamehameha stance. Or at least, he thought he did. He wasn't sure. All those voices… he could not concentrate! Goku tried to block them out and fire the attack, but he could not remember the name. A vision of Gohan emerged in his mind, but he could not hold on to it. He tried reaching out, but his own body refused to obey him. His hair turned black again and his skin colour slowly changed to grey.

"Resistance if futile," the Queen's voice echoed in his mind. It was the last thing he heard before the last small trace of his individuality was finally erased.

* * *

"Eh?"

Gohan's head jerked up. He couldn't exactly tell what it was, but he somehow felt something was… off.

"GOHAN! STAY FOCUSED!"

He whirled around and was kicked in the face by a Namekian foot. He skidded across the Room of Spirit and Time and looked at Piccolo, who had obviously been annoyed by his lack of attention. Rubbing his head, he growled and prepared for a counterattack. Whatever it was that he had felt, it would have to wait. He had more important things on his mind right now.

* * *

"What… what the hell?"

Dumbfound by his own actions, 17 stared at the unconscious girl in his arms. He had no idea what had possessed him to save her. He had to be malfunctioning, there was no other explanation. Perhaps his circuitry had been damaged during his fight with Cell. Yes, that had to be it.

"_You don't care about anything!"_

Her previous words rang through his mind. She had been right, caring was for the weak. Then again, 16 seemed to care for him and his sister and he turned out to be stronger than both of them. Of course, he got beaten up badly. 16 was stronger than Cell, if he had not jumped in front of 18, he wouldn't have been defeated so easily. If this wasn't proof that love and compassion was for the weak, then he did not know what would be.

"It seems you have developed a bit of a soft spot, haven't you?" Cell chuckled. "It's alright, you two will be together soon"

"I DON'T THINK SO!" a new voice shouted from above.

Everyone looked up: there, on the roof of the hospital, stood Tien and Chiaotzu.

"More guests?" Cell mocked. "Honestly, what difference do you think you can make?"

"You'll see!"

The warrior turned to his small friend and smiled sadly. The small clown knew what he was planning and that he could not talk him out of it.

"Good luck," he whispered and went on his way for Bulma, alone. Tien waited until he was out of sight and suddenly dashed to the menacing android, picking up the fight where 16 had left off.

18 just looked at them. She was too afraid to…well, do anything. One of her brothers turned out to be freakishly strong, the other one suddenly started to act almost human and she had almost been blown to bits. It was just too much.

"Hey!"

She suddenly felt someone tapping on her shoulder. The android turned around and faced the monk that was standing behind her.

"What do you want?"

"Please, leave now before he gets you!"

"I… I can't…"

"Ack! Why not?" Krillin shouted

"I don't… I don't know! I'm so confused!"

"Hey…" he said gently, "I know what you're going through"

"NO YOU DON'T!" she snapped at him, "You have no idea what it's like!"

"Yes, I do!" he snapped back, "Back on Namek, Frieza was toying with us as if we were nothing! All our training, all our sacrifice had been inveigh! Then Goku showed up and just when we thought that nothing could stop us… Frieza killed me! I was wished back, but sometimes, I still have nightmares in which he chases me and kills everyone, while I just watch helplessly!" He sighed. "I… I never told anyone about this before"

They both stayed silent. Neither of them could believe that Krillin had just opened up to her like this.

"You two should run," 16 finally broke the silence. "It will not be long before Cell comes after you again"

"But… but what about you?" 18 asked, "You have to come with us!"

"I am damaged"

"Come on big guy," Krillin said, "Bulma can repair you, just hold on"

"Why are you helping us?" 18 frowned

"Well…ehehe…uhm…you see…"

"KRILLIN!" Tien shouted, "GET THE ANDROIDS OUT OF HERE!"

The triclops turned back to the enraged bioandroid and prepared his most powerful attack.

"Alright Cell," he said while he placed his hands in a triangular shape, "let's just see how much of a difference I can make… KIKOUHOU!"

* * *

"Wow, who's the babe?"

Everyone at Kame house took a look at the motionless figure lying limp in Yamcha's arms.

"Back off, you pig!" Chi Chi yelled, whacking Oolong with her famous Frying Pan Of Doom.

"Hey, I was just asking!"

"Just lie her down on the couch Yamcha" she said, giving the perverted shapeshifter one last warning glare.

"What happened to her?" Master Roshi asked.

"I don't know, we found her like this"

"Where are Tien en Chiaotzu?"

"They're heading for Bulma's to ask if she…" His head suddenly jerked in the direction of Basil town.

"Am I sensing… what I think I'm sensing?"

"Yes… It's Tien and Cell! They're fighting!"

"But Tien is using so much energy! Whatever he's doing, he won't be able to keep it up for long!"

Yamcha made a dash for the door, but was stopped by Master Roshi.

"Don't Go! Cell is much stronger than he was before!"

"I can't let him die! I have to go over there and help him!"

"You will only get yourself killed!"

Yamcha balled his fists and growled.

"So? Isn't that better than just sitting around here doing nothing?"

"Do you think Tien wants you to help him now?" Chi Chi asked, "Do you think he wants you to die too? My baby is up there somewhere training to defeat that monster and I don't want him to come back here only to find out that not one, but two of his best friends killed themselves!"

"Please Yamcha," Puar begged, "please don't leave!"

He seemed to think for a few minutes and sighed.

"Alright, I'll stay… But only because I know that Goku would've wanted me to… wherever he is"


	31. An unsuspected visitor

A/N: Almost…4000…words… (gasps). This is officially the LONGEST chapter I've ever written since I'm on this site! Hurray for me! This chapter is very important. Maybe some things don't seem right, but I tried my best to stay true to both Star Trek and DBZ. At the end of this chapter, you might think that the story is coming to an end, but trust me, the adventures of Susan and Lara are far from over!

P.S. I gave Piccolo a nickname but I'm not sure if I thought of it myself. I might have seen it in another story a long time ago, but it just fits both Piccolo and the offender (nope, I'm not spoiling the surprise) so perfectly! If it does turn out that I've unconsciously picked it up somewhere and the author sees it, drop me a line.

* * *

**Chapter 31: An unsuspected visitor**

"You little pest!" Cell howled from inside the crater. "I'll squash you like the insignificant insect you are!"

"Look who's talking!" Tien shouted as he fired another kihouhou. He glanced at Krillin who was still trying to help 18 lift her fallen friend.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO STILL DOING HERE! GET OUT!"

Gulping, the monk turned to the female android.

"Come on, we have to leave now before Cell absorbs you!"

Still shaking, she nodded.

"Sis!" 17 shouted. "What are you doing!"

"What does it look like, brother?" she shouted back. "I'm running!"

"You can't be serious! You're scared of that… that thing? We are the strongest beings in the…"

_WHACK!_

Before he even knew what had hit him, 17 felt a stinging sensation on his left cheek. Within the blink of an eye, his sister had appeared in front of him and slapped him in the face!

"Wake up and smell our doom, dipshit! 16 is stronger than both of us and look what 'that thing' did to him!"

"Only because he jumped in front of you!" he shot back.

"At least _he_ survived it!" she snapped angrily at him. "We never could've blocked that attack, and you know it!"

A loud roar interrupted their argument. Tien had stopped firing and Cell was slowly emerging from his trap. He glared at the triclops, but was send down again at the last second.

"Hurry up!" he panted. "I can't… hold him off much longer!"

17 hesitated for a minute. He didn't want to run like a coward, but then again, it was becoming more and more obvious that their little gang was not on top of the food chain anymore. He would rather go down fighting, but Cell did not want to have a battle. He just wanted… him.

He glanced down at 16. Cell had really gotten him good. His silent friend was almost unable to walk and even needed the midget to support him. The other human was attacking like mad but seemed unable to even scratch the monster. Did he really want this? To be absorbed by that creature because of his own arrogance? He sighed in defeat.

"Alright sis, you win… Grab 16, we're getting out of here"

* * *

Chi Chi sighed as she put a wet cloth on Mirai Lara's forehead. It didn't look like the woman had a fever, but then again, she had no idea what body temperature was considered normal for an Uranian. She just figured it was better than nothing. 

"Is she still unconscious?" Yamcha asked after getting a drink from the kitchen.

"Yes, I tried everything but she won't wake up… I don't know why"

Master Roshi put away his magazine and peered over his glasses at their visitor.

"Knowing her species, she probably fainted from fatigue or shock... It's a shame really"

Everyone turned to the old man, wondering what he was talking about.

"What do you mean?" Oolong asked.

"Think about it: their race is extremely gifted. They can fly before they can even walk and their speed is unlike anything else in their own universe, but their mental abilities are their biggest strength. Susan and 'present' Lara are inexperienced and have only mastered sensing emotions and basic telepathy. Lara's future self, however, has proved that those abilities are just the tip of the iceberg. It is just too bad that they will probably never live up to their full potential"

"I don't get it," Yamcha said, a bit anxious because of Roshi's sudden seriousness.

"Their minds are powerful, but their bodies are weak. They can't handle much pressure and it takes very little to make them pass out. Think of their nerve system as a nuclear power plant: when either the physical or emotional stress becomes too much to bare, all systems immediately shut down to protect the core from a total meltdown"

"Wow… that's got to be frustrating" Yamcha stated.

"It still doesn't make any sense…" Chi Chi mused. "Why on earth would Cell want to absorb them? If he faints every time someone tries to attack him…"

"I don't think Cell will fully incorporate them into his being. He will probably take all their mental abilities but discard most of their physical traits. Just like he has all of the advantages of the Saiyan race, but is not rendered immobile if you grab his tail."

"Oh man…" Oolong panicked, "If Gohan and the others don't hurry up, we're screwed!"

"Watch your mouth!" Chi Chi yelled as she whacked the poor pig a second time with her frying pan.

"I'm going to cook dinner, you perverts better not try anything funny while I'm gone!"

"Don't look at me! Roshi's the one undressing her with his eyes… OWW!"

* * *

"_Gohan… Help me Gohan…"_

The young demi-Saiyan spun around, but all he saw was darkness. He had heard his fathers voice but he could not find him! He didn't even know where he was!  
"Dad!" he shouted desperately. "Dad, where are you!"

He suddenly spotted a strange green glow in the distance. He started running towards it.

"Hold on dad! I'll find you!"

He ran as he had never ran before. Slowly, the dim glow grew brighter and brighter until green was all he saw. He closed his eyes and opened them again. He could now see that he was aboard some kind of ship. He saw men and women walking through the corridors, ignoring him completely. Their skin was almost ghostly pale and they were covered in cybernetic implants. The sound of their feet clanking on the metal floor made his stomach turn. He didn't know why, but it just did.

"_Help me Gohan…"_

He continued to run in the direction of his fathers voice, but it just drifted away. He sped up but the faster he ran, the further the voice seemed to move away. Around him, the ship was falling apart and he was once again surrounded by darkness. He could hear metal footsteps approaching him and he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around… and stood face to face with the most frightening creature he had ever seen. Her body was covered in metallic armour and her skin was a sickening shade of grey with a hint of yellow. He was so scared that he could not move. She smiled as she brought her other hand closer to his neck.

"_Gohan…Gohan…_WAKE UP KID!"

With a loud yell, the young demi-Saiyan shot up. He was sitting upright in his bed, covered in sweat.

"You alright?" his mentor grunted.

"Dad… he was… I was…"

"You had a nightmare, go back to sleep"

"Piccolo…" Gohan croaked, but he was silenced.

"You're having a fever, get some rest. We'll continue your training when you're well again"

"It wasn't a dream, those… those machine men got my dad!"

The Namek stiffened. Could Gohan be talking about the Borg? He had never seen one before, but Susan and Lara had given him a pretty detailed description. But how did his pupil know? Did he have a vision? The boy always had a very good bond with his father, and Goku had proved to be telepathic before (A/N: remember when he told Krillin not to kill Vegeta?).

"I have to find him…" Gohan groaned as he got out of bed. He took a few shaky steps towards the door, but collapsed on the floor.

"Poor kid," Piccolo mumbled as he picked his pupil up and laid him back under the covers. The boy would be safe here, for now. He hoped that it had just been a nightmare, but deep down, he knew better.

The old Piccolo wanted to get out of the chamber and fight those things, but Kami told him it would only make things worse. Right now, Mirai Lara had found a way to keep those cybernetic creatures from beaming to Earth. She would not have done that if the Z-fighters were able to destroy them. The Borg would adapt eventually though, so she had only bought them some time… but for what?

"_To restore the original timeline"_

Piccolo almost fell when a new voice startled him. He whirled around but saw no one.

"I'm right here 'Pickles'"

He turned back again and stood face to face with a smug looking man dressed in black spandex and red Saiyan armour.

"You like the outfit?" he smirked as he snapped his fingers and was now suddenly wearing a black and red gi. He looked in a mirror that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grinned. "I always try my best to blend in with the natives"

The Namek growled as the stranger snapped his fingers again and was now wearing Piccolo's clothes. The man frowned and switched back to the Saiyan armour.

"No offence Pickles, but this has just a bit more class if you know what I mean"

"Who are you!"

"Curious, aren't we? Oh well, since I don't have much time, I might as well tell you now"

"You better!" Piccolo threatened. He did not like this arrogant being at all.

"Q's the name, omnipotence is my game!"

"You don't have a powerlevel, are you an android?"

Q sweatdropped and snapped his fingers, making Piccolo's mouth disappear.

"Sorry Pickles, but I can't stay here much longer and it doesn't help if you keep interrupting me. If you promise to be a good little Namek, I'll give you your mouth back"

Piccolo glared daggers at the smug looking omnipotent, but nodded hesitantly.

"Well then," Q continued, restoring the warriors face, "I'll get started: Mirai Lara's here to restore your timeline. Susan and Lara were never supposed to be here and neither was Voyager… or the Borg. My Kathy has been assimilated along with your friend and…"

"WHAT?" Piccolo yelled, but refrained from interrupting Q further. This being was unlike anything he had ever seen, and it was probably unwise to agitate him.

"In the original timeline, Cell will absorb the androids and achieve his perfect form. Goku and Gohan will train together in this chamber and Gohan will eventually ascend to a SuperSaiyan. Cell will hold a tournament and will be defeated by Gohan. The end."

Piccolo's jaw dropped. Q had told him all of this as if he was talking about the weather.

"By the way, Goku will not survive this, but that's another story"

"Wait a minute," the Namek said, ignoring the omnipotent's warning, "by telling this, you are endangering Mirai Lara's mission"

Q snorted at this. "Do you really think that your timeline can be restored completely? It was already too late when the Delta Flyer entered your dimension! Unfortunately, we can not go back far enough to prevent that, so we're stuck with damage control"

He walked over to Gohan and sat down on the edge of his bed. He glanced at the young demi-Saiyan. Surprisingly, he was still sleeping peacefully and Piccolo had a feeling that Q had something to do with that.

"Our powers used to be almost unlimited… We could create and destroy thousands of worlds in the blink of an eye. We knew every corner of the universe like the back of our hand and our kind has been around longer than time itself"

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because everyone and everything will perish if you don't"

The expression on Q's face turned very grim. He somehow reminded Piccolo of Vegeta when you mentioned the destruction of his planet.

"Alright, I'll buy your story for now," the warrior said. "but you talk about your race in the past tense…"

"That's because I'm the only one left"

He sighed as he saw the bewildered expression on Piccolo's face.

"I bet you're asking yourself: 'why can't a species so powerful and good looking like his defend itself?'. Well, I can't tell you too much about that. Let's just say that we are not entirely immortal. There used to be a civil war between Q and the weapons we used were powerful enough to kill. The power of those weapons… was nothing compared to yours or any of your planet's warriors. When that thing… came through the rift, we just laughed at it. Again, I can't tell you exactly how it looked, but trust me: it was pretty funny. It began by destroying planets, wiping out entire races. Q usually don't interfere with mortal problems, but eventually, things started to get out of hand. We snapped our fingers, but it was somehow immune to our powers. We could take it's legs away, but they would grow back. We could try to hurl it into a gas giant, but it wasn't phased. We could try to make it disappear entirely, but it never worked. The aura of power that surrounded it was just too great. With each passing moment, we were confronted again and again with limitations we didn't even know we had. At first, we tried to restore the planets and civilisations it had destroyed, but it would simply wipe them out again. When 5/6th of the universe was annihilated, the Q began to panic. My son was the first to try a more unconventional method. Instead of using his powers on the creature, he used them on himself. Q2 became a SuperSaiyan 3 and the other Q followed his example and turned themselves into members of different warrior races from your dimension. SuperSaiyans, Nameks… I even became an Ice-jinn! Unfortunately, all we could do was change our genes. We could not give ourselves years of training or fighting experience. Needless to say, the Q lost dramatically and during the chaos, I barely escaped and made it back to the continuum, more dead than alive. When I looked around, I saw no one else but me. They had all met their fate at the hands of that thing."

Piccolo listened in awe. He knew this was serious, something told him that this man was not making it up. Suddenly, Q winced.

"What's wrong?"

"I just checked on your friend, he's trying to break through Lara's shield… I'm not sure how long it will hold… not more than a few days if he keeps this up, and I can't restore the shield emitters"

"Why not? You made those clothes and that mirror appear!"

"_You_ can make clothes appear, it's nothing special… and the mirror was already here, I just teleported it from your bathroom…"

"But my mouth…"

"A simple trick, Pickles… I barely broke a sweat. 'Poofing' someone's lips away is not the same as creating entire technological structures from scratch and, humiliating as it is, I don't have the energy to do that anymore… so much for our pride"

Piccolo felt a spark of pity, but he decided tot no show it. Just like with the Saiyans, it would probably do more bad than good.

"My time is running out, I must continue"

He took a deep breath and started talking. "After the fall of my kind, I decided to get to the root of the problem. I travelled through the rift and to my horror, saw nothing but death and destruction. The Earth was a barren wasteland, not a stone was left on the other. It had not been the creature's doing, though"

"It were the Borg, weren't they?"

Q sighed. "Yes… They had assimilated Goku, and used him as a pawn to reach their goal. I made a promise to Lara not to tell you the exact details"

"WHAT?" the Namek exclaimed in outrage.

"Some people might think of me as an arrogant bastard, but I will always keep my word. She will tell you when and if, she sees fit, even if I don't entirely agree"

"Of all the… "

"The Borg had send an army of drones to assimilate the population, but the Queen had other things on her mind. She had dug through Goku's memories and found out about New Namek and the Dragonballs"

"No…"

Piccolo felt the blood draining from his face. The sheer thought of those creatures making a wish…

"There's no way Moori, or any other Elder for that matter would allow that to happen!"

"You are correct, my Namekian friend. The Nameks felt the approaching danger and destroyed the Dragonballs. When they saw Goku in his altered state, they feared that the Borg could probably do the same to them and create new Dragonballs. Knowing it was the only way to prevent Porunga's power from falling into the wrong hands, they killed themselves before the Borg could attack"

Piccolo was now feeling so ill that he had to lean against a wall for support. He could almost hear the cries of despair as he pictured his former friend closing in on their home…

"Wait a minute," he suddenly growled, "Goku doesn't know where New Namek is! None of us do!"

"That's right, but the Queen had learned about the existence of the Kais and figured that they would know. Fortunately, they had already fled to Heaven and Hell (A/N: or the HFIL for all you dubbies) and the Borg could not go there. The laws of their own dimension did not allow them to set foot in the afterlife until they were dead… and a dead drone will turn back to the way it was before he or she was assimilated."

"What did they do?"

"They just started searching the galaxy by hand. Using their scanners and the knowledge of other races they assimilated on the way, they eventually found New Namek and you already know the rest of it. Now, we're back at the point were I was about to intervene: the minute I entered your dimension, I started to investigate. Because of my omnipotence, I was able to go to Otherworld and talk to a being called 'King Kai', who kindly brought me up to speed. I snapped my fingers to restore everything back to the way it was before Susan and Lara had arrived, but discovered that I had some limitations of my own in this dimension as well. I teleported back to Earth where I saw Lara trying to get away from a group of drones. I summoned every bit of strength I had left and restored the Delta Flyer to it's original state. I then teleported her to the ship and hurled it back to our own dimension. After that, I felt incredibly tired and just had to lie down and sleep…. I never woke up again."

"What do you mean you…" Piccolo's eyes widened in shock as realisation dawned on him.

"I died. I had already been weakened during the fight and using that last bit of strength I had left, turned out to be the final straw. Quite dramatic, don't you agree?" He grinned as if he had just told Piccolo the punch line of the biggest joke in the universe and, in a bit of a morbid way, that wasn't really so far from the truth if you thought about it.

"Oh well… I lost most of my powers, but in the beginning, I did manage to sneak away every now and then to visit Lara. Actually… I believe the ogres let me leave Otherworld on purpose because they felt pity for us. I would sometimes snap my fingers and fix a broken replicator, or we would just talk about random things. I'm not sure if you could even label it as 'friendship': I felt sympathy because of her loss, but I also felt a cold hatred because, in a way, it had been their fault, even if they could not had possibly known the consequences of their arrival in this dimension. She pretended to be happy and grateful but deep down, I knew she felt the same cold hatred against me for saving her life. As the months passed, that darkness inside of her kept growing and growing. You could sometimes even see it in her eyes. Eventually, it was decided that she had to move on and I was no longer allowed to visit the world of the living. We would only meet one more time, 30 years later."

"You helped her travel back in time…" Piccolo stated, still trying to wrap his mind around Q's shocking story.

"Yes, I did. It took me years before I was allowed an audience with a being called 'The Supreme Kai'. I explained to him that I had to go back, but he would not hear it. My omnipotence was not going to get me any special treatment. It was our own fault, he said. The arrogance of the Q when they laughed at the creature when it first arrived, and Susan and Lara for literally sticking their noses where they did not belong. I pleaded, I begged and I even cried. Eventually, he realised that playing the blame game would not do either of us any good. It didn't matter who's fault it had been: both our universes were dying and something had to be done. I was allowed to live for one day, but I could not use my powers for anything other than sending her back in time."

"You could not 'snap' Goku back to normal?"

"It would not have mattered anyway…"

Piccolo opened his mouth to question him, but he shut it again. Something told him that he had not heard the entire story yet.

"We talked for hours and figured out a plan. Me, and a few remaining members of the Alliance..." he paused and looked at Piccolo, but he just shook his head.

"I don't think I heard that last part"

"Thank you," he sighed. "_I_ distracted the creature to make sure Lara could slip through the rift unnoticed. Thanks to my powers, she could travel back in time as far as possible and arrive at this point. I was allowed one brief visit here to tell you the story"

"Lara doesn't know you're here?"

"She does, but she thinks I will only drop by and give you this"

Out of nowhere, a datapad appeared in Piccolo's hands.

"What's this?" he asked suspiciously

"These, my green skinned friend, are the coordinates to New Namek. Get the Dragonballs, wish Goku and Voyager's crew back and tell Kathy I said hi"

"Don't worry," the Namek smirked, "I will"

"Lara said that you could be trusted, and that you will not tell the others anything that could endanger her, or her mission. I promised her not to tell certain things, but she never said that I could not tell this, so do me a favor and watch over her. If she fails, everything will be lost."

"I can't promise I won't tell the others anything…"

"Just do with the story what you see fit. She trusts you, and to be trusted by her is nothing less than a miracle"

"That bad, huh?"

"Afraid so…. Now, if you excuse me, there's just one more thing I promised her that I would do before I leave"

"What's that?"

Q grinned mischievously and snapped his fingers once last time. he was still wearing the Saiyan armour, but he had now changed himself into a giant walking carrot.

"Nothing special," he chuckled, "I just have to pay a certain Saiyan prince a quick visit…"


	32. Silence before the storm

**A/N** as the chapter title says, this is a bit of a filler. It's not Mirai Lara having a tea party with Oolong and Master Roshi, or something boring like that, but they're not already heading off to New Namek. Don't worry, I'm not going to forget! It's just that I'm juggling with multiple "mini-storylines" and I can't "update" every single one of them in one chapters. I'm rotating them until I can merge them again. Also, I had a few e-mails from people asking "Hey, why isn't Goku attacking yet?". Yes, it may seem like I put him in the background, but if I give him attention every chapter, his Big Entry will not be that spectacular. Trust me on this one people, you'll understand later on!

MC: And what about MY Big Entry?

Authoress: Patience, grasshopper… You will make an appearance eventually!

MC: 'Eventually' will not do, woman!

Authoress: Hey! Sit down and behave yourself, or I'm turning this fic into a Cell/Culluh romance!

MC: (screams like a little girl and runs off)

* * *

**Chapter 32: Silence before the storm**

"Did you get it?"

Lara and the Doctor looked at Bulma, who was still trying to get the password for Mirai Lara's datapads.

"No… 'Kirrïa' didn't work…"

Lara sighed. "I knew it would've been too good to be true"

"So… now what?"

"I could enter every word in my linguistic database, but that would take days," the Doctor sighed. "And she could've met new races in her timeline and used their language"

"We probably don't have a few days anyway"

Bulma frowned. "Lara, don't be so morbid! When Vegeta and the others finish their training…"

Lara turned to Bulma, confusion written all over her face.

"What training?"

"I got an message from Trunks a few hours ago. He says that he, Vegeta, Gohan and Piccolo went to a special place where they can get a year of training in just one day!"

"AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?"

"Hey!" Bulma scowled. "I've been awake for Kami knows how long! You can't blame me for forgetting a thing or two!"

Groaning, Lara calmed herself.

"What about the others?"

"Yamcha, Tien and Chiaotzu are looking for Goku, and…" She trailed off. "Oops, they don't know he's on Voyager yet. I had better call Master Roshi, I'm sure they'll report back at Kame House once they give up their search"

"Yeah… you do that Bulma…"

"Lara?" the Doctor asked, "Is something wrong?"

"YES!" she exclaimed angrily. "I can't really explain, but I can almost feel something's off! I can't stand it anymore! I need to get out of here… NOW!"

"I believe you are suffering from acute claustrophobia, please take slow deep breaths and try to…"

The Doctor was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. Bulma answered it.

"Capsule Corporation, Bulma Briefs speaking… oh, hi Yamcha! What's up?...no…no…hmm…yes of course we….mmm…yes…no…" This went on for a couple of minutes but suddenly, she went bug-eyed.

"You WHAT?...Is she alright?...where did you…uh huh…mm…"

"Is it about Susan?" Lara asked, but Bulma hushed her and turned her attention to the phone again

"…mmm…well, her present self is standing right next to me…no…yes, she's okay…no Susan's not here…"

"What? What's going on Bulma!"

"Hey, I'm trying to have a conversation here!" she snapped. "No Yamcha, it's nothing… We're Tien and Chiaotzu now?... CELL? How can he fight Cell! There's no way he can…"

"Alright that's it…BULMA, GIVE ME THAT PHONE!"

After a bit of a struggle, Lara managed to pry the device out of Bulma's hands and flew up to the ceiling, out of the scientist's reach.

"YAMCHA!" She yelled. "What's wrong! Is Lara… I mean me… I mean… you know! Is she there? And Susan's not? No, she's not here either! Yes, I checked! No I… yes I…AAARRRGH!"

With a frustrated roar, Lara flew down and slammed the phone on the hook.

"Bad news you guys," she said grim. "Tien's fighting Cell and he's getting the beating of is life! But that's not the worst…"

"What do you mean?"

"Cells powerlevel has gone through the roof! Yamcha and Master Roshi believe that he has now absorbed so many humans that not even Piccolo can handle him anymore! To top it off, his speed probably increased too!" Panic was now written all over her face. "If Cell indeed has become faster, he could get Susan, or maybe he already absorbed her! She's been gone for hours!"

"You can't go out and look for her, Lara," the Doctor said, already knowing what she was planning to do.

"She's my sister! I can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"And what are you going to do if you find her? Use foul language?"

"I'll… I'll… kick him in the nuts!" She paused for a moment. "No, wait a minute… I don't think he has those…"

"What do you think Captain Janeway would do?"

"Raise shields?"

"No…"

"Power all weapons?"

"No…"

"Activate the self-destruct sequence?"

"NO!"

"What? She does that all the time!"

The Doctor sighed, but Lara continued.

"let me ask you something Doc: what would YOU do?"

"I would NOT just jump into the fight and let my fists do the talking! I am a doctor, not a Klingon warrior!"

"Well, maybe today IS a good day to die, because I will not let that freak get his slimy hands on MY sister!"

"You can not…"

"What are you gonna do Doc?" she asked sarcastically. "Let Tuvok throw me in the brig? Have the Captain take away my Holodeck privileges? Sedate me?"

"Listen Lara!" he said angrily. "If something indeed has happened to Voyager, we are the only ones left! If Cell has found Susan, then he will have probably killed her by now! I understand that this is difficult for you, but do you really think this is easy for me? I would sacrifice 50 percent of my memory banks just to get back to Voyager and see what's going on, but we have to stay calm and use our heads!"

Lara was taken aback by the Doctors outburst. She had never seen him like this before. She realised that she was not the only one in pain here.

"I'm sorry Doc… I forgot that…"

A thud just outside the building interrupted her. They looked out the window and saw Chiaotzu standing in the yard.

"Hey Chiaotzu!" Bulma yelled, "We're over here!"

The small emperor smiled and waved.

"Hi guys," he said shy. Lara wasted no time and climbed through the window.

"Hey, everything okay?"

He shook his head. "No, we still haven't found Goku yet"  
"He's probably on Voyager, we figured that if he could not have used instant transmission, someone must've beamed him out!"

Chiaotzu face lit up. "That's great! When will he get back?"

"Don't know, we haven't established communication yet. Oh, by the way… Sorry about Tien"

"He's not dead," he said defiantly, "there's still hope!"

"How? No offence, but Yamcha said that Cell's kicking his butt!"

"Real smooth, Lara…" Bulma interrupted.

"No, he is not being attacked" the small emperor continued.

"But his powerlevel was dropping!"

"Tien is the one attacking. He is firing energy blasts at Cell so the androids will have a chance to escape"

"Whoa! Rewind!" Lara exclaimed. "Cell has found the androids?"

Chiaotzu lowered his head, and nodded.

"Oh crap… If Cell absorbs them, the whole universe is screwed!" She sighed. "And what about my sister? Any sign of her?"

"She uhm…"

"Well?"

"Susan is eh…you see…"

"Out with it CLOWNY!"

"That black haired android took her! I'm really sorry…"

Lara didn't hear that last part, for she had already fainted.

"Get her inside," the Doctor ordered Chiaotzu. "Lay her on the couch and make sure her breathing stays normal"

He turned in the direction of Basil town, the words 'I'm going to regret this…' written all over his face.

"Bulma," he asked without shifting his gaze, "do you have another hoverbike?"

* * *

Groaning, Susan managed to open her eyes. Oh boy… she thought, please let this be a nightmare! Please just let me wake up on Voyager in my quarters! Please, please, please…

"Hey Susan, you alright?" Krillin asked.

This just isn't my day…

"Yeah, I think so…" she mumbled, "what happened? Are we dead?"

"No," someone else answered

Startled, she turned around and looked into the cold blue eyes of android 17.

"Oh, eh… thanks for…you know…saving my life and stuff…" she trailed off when he just kept staring at her. She was beginning to feel very uncomfortable.

"What?" she finally snapped. "Why are you looking at me like that!"

"You were completely hysterical back there and now you act like nothing has happened"

"My mind processed the shock it when I was unconscious. I'm still sad, but I can handle it now… I think." She sighed and checked out her surroundings. "Where are we?"

"Some kind of office building," Krillin said.

"How did we escape from Cell?"

"Tien showed up and is distracting him…"

"What are we doing here then? As long as Tien keeps going, we can still try to get further away and leave this town!"

Krillin just shook his head and looked to his side. Susan now noticed android 16, who looked like he had just been mugged by a group of rabid Ferengi. It was obvious that the silent giant wasn't going to walk on his own anytime soon. The androids had probably carried him here and decided that it was too risky to look for another hiding place. This building was big and had lots of rooms. They weren't going to find anything better soon, especially since they had no idea how long Tien was going to last.

Susan sighed and decided to make herself useful. Anything was better than just sitting next to… him.

"Hey 16, I'm not an engineer, but I learned a thing or two when I was watching my sister study. Let me take a look at you…"

She stood up and walked over to the robotic warrior, but suddenly android 18 blocked her path.

"Stay away from him," she growled.

"Hey, take it easy!"

"18, it's alright. She does not mean any harm"

The female android turned to her friend.

"Are you sure?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Sjeesj… " Susan muttered as she glanced at his skull, "it's not like there's much left for me to destroy anyway, what a mess!" she stopped and blushed for a moment. "ehm… no offence!"

"You are correct, my circuitry is damaged beyond repair"

"Feh, I know someone who could fix you up in no time… but the Borg got her, I'm afraid…"

"That is highly unlikely"

"That she was assimilated?"

"That she could fully repair me"

Susan frowned at the android.

"Then you don't know B'Elanna Torres yet, trust me"

17 silently watched Susan trying to fix his friend. She had taken apart one of the computers in the office and used the wires to reconnect the ones that were severed in 16's head.

_Just look at those two,_ he thought. _Disgusting. 16 had so much power and now he needs that girl to help him. He could've gotten anything he wanted but he sacrificed it all. And for what? Sure, 18 is family and it's not like I would've abandoned her just like that, but risking my own life for her? I'm not sure if I would do that. Would she do it for me?_

He glanced at his sister, who was chatting with Krillin. There was a lot of blushing and stammering on the monks side at first, but after a few minutes, they actually seemed to get along!

_Well, SHE obviously has no problem making new friends,_ he thought sarcastically. _What is she doing? Why is she even talking to that weakling? Did she forget that they are nothing compared to us? _

_And we are nothing compared to Cell,_ a small voice in the back of his head reminded him. He shifted his gaze back to Susan, who just burned herself when she connected the wrong wires, and was now angrily shouting a wide variety of Uranian words from which he could only guess the translation. Grumbling, the girl tried again and clapped her hands ("yes!") when she finally got it right.

_Amazing… one minute she's going completely berserk and then she acts like nothing has happened! Why did I save her anyway? Cell didn't beat me up THAT bad, I'm sure my circuitry isn't damaged. Why didn't I just let her fall? _

"Can you move now?" he heard her asking 16.

"I will try," the android answered. He slowly got up and took a few shaky steps. He smiled.

"My mobility has been restored"

"WOOHOO! Let's get out of here!"

"Oh no!" Krillin suddenly exclaimed. "Tien's powerlevel just took a nosedive!"

"Is he dead?"

"I don't know, I can't sense him anymore!"

"Then we should stop wasting time! Let's go!"

"Are you nuts?" he yelled at her, "We have no idea how fast Cell is! We don't want to get caught in the open! Our only chance is to stay here and don't go outside!"

"You mean we're stuck here with the androids?" she shrieked, but stopped her ranting when she felt a pair of eyes staring at her.

"Is that a problem?" 17 asked in a cold voice.

"No! Of course not! Ehehe…" she said hastily.

"Good, because you're not going anywhere"

17 smirked and sat down against the wall opposite of her. Every now and then, he looked up and threw her a glance.

Yeah… this was going to be the longest day of her life…


	33. Through the eye of the needle

**A/N **Before you all start throwing Leola root stew at me, I WILL update Star Trek Academy! It's just that I'm on a roll with this story and I'm sooo very, very busy right now! I'm in my final school year and to get my diploma as a Graphical Designer, I have to do a gazillion projects! When the pressure is gone, I'll write another chapter for STA as well. Promise! Would I lie to you?

MC: Yes…

Authoress: (whacks MC with Chi Chi's frying pan)

**P.S.** Just to remind everyone: "talking", _thinking_, ("telepathy")

* * *

**Chapter 33: Through the eye of the needle**

"Hey Chi Chi, that looks good!"

Oolong started drooling when Chi Chi handed started handing out bowls of… well, they weren't sure what it was. It smelled great, though, so they eagerly digged in. Everyone… except Master Roshi.

"Hey," she called, "your soup is getting cold!"

The old hermit didn't respond. He had just sensed Tien's powerlevel drop, and it wasn't going back up again.

"We're losing Tien" he mumbled sadly.

"Eh?" Yamcha stopped slurping his soup and focused on his friend's powerlevel. "Oh no…"

"I don't get it," Chi Chi said. "Isn't there anything you can do? Who cares that Cell is stronger, you don't have to fight that thing! Just fly over there, grab Tien and get out!"

"If it would really be that easy, don't you think we would've done that already?" Yamcha spat angrily. "His speed is probably off the charts! Piccolo is much faster than all of us together and even he had trouble keeping up with Cell, and that was _before_ he went on an all out absorbing spree!" He balled his fists and growled in frustration. "Just think Chi Chi! If the people from Ginger town alone already gave him that much power then, just imagine what we're up against now!"

"Shame on you!" she fumed, "Goku would've never abandoned one of his best friends!"

"NEWSFLASH!" he yelled at her, "HE ALREADY DID!"

An awkward silence fell. Chi Chi looked like she was on the verge of tears and Yamcha realized he had gone too far.

"Sorry… I shouldn't have said that"

"I think the stress is getting to all of us," Roshi quickly said, before she would kill Yamcha with her frying pan. "lets turn on the TV and see if they got some more news about Cell"

However, when they watched the news, they discovered that Cell was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a nervous reporter was standing in want seemed like some sort of war zone. The buildings in the background were heavily damaged and fires were burning everywhere. A thick cloud of smoke drifted in front of the camera made it almost impossible to see the reporter.

"…. and I (cough) repeat: if you (cough) see them, move to a (cough, wheeze, cough) safe distance and (cough) contact the authorities immediately!"

Yamcha quickly grabbed the remote and switched to another channel. This time, a newswoman came into view.

"… go life to the military base! General Adama, what can you tell us about the disaster in Oregano Town?"

"It was not an isolated incident," he answered gruffly. "Bombs, disguised as small cars, have been found all over the planet. They are made of materials not know on Earth and go off the minute someone tries to tamper with them. The alien bombcars have so far only been located in densely populated cities and our scientists think that they somehow leech of our own power supply, since the contraption does not work when transported to the desert or the woods"

"What an ingenious technique!"

"Yes, it is. Unfortunately, we believe that these aliens are extremely hostile and may even be related to the monster of Nicky Town"

The newswoman gasped.

"That would explain the green skin and the tail… Do you know where the mothership is?"

"Negative. If there are any vessels out there, then they are most likely cloaked," he paused and looked straight at the camera. "When you see a small car with darkened windows and you can't locate the driver, call your local police. They will inform the authorities and the car will be transported to a remote area where it can safely be detonated. Stay calm and be alert!"

"Oh man… things just keep getting worse, don't they!" Yamcha exclaimed. They turned around to Mirai Lara, but…

"What the…She's gone!"

Growling, he stepped outside and prepared to take off.

"Yamcha! What are you doing!" Roshi yelled.

"I'm going after her! I think it's time we learn what in the world is going on here"

"Hey, go to Korin's Tower first and pick up some senzu beans, you might need them"

He nodded and flew up into the sky.

_In the mean time…_

Tien looked down at the hole in the street. Somewhere down there, Cell was steaming with anger. He knew that if he stopped firing, the android would escape and kill him. He had to keep going!

"KIHOUHOU!" He shouted as he fired his last bit of energy at the enraged bioandroid who was trying to get out of the hole. Unfortunately, the blast was too weak to smash him back down again. Growling, Cell swatted it away and continued his ascend. Tien groaned as he tried to power up another blast, but he had used up every bit of strength he had. His vision became blurry and with a last groan, he plummeted to the ground. Cell flew towards the fallen warrior and landed by his side with a soft 'thud'. He looked down in disgust and kicked him in his back, sending him skidding across the street. Tien landed flat on his back, unable to move.

"I can't believe a weakling such as yourself was actually able to delay me from achieving my perfect form," he snarled as he grabbed Tien's neck and hoisted him up so they were at eye-level.

"I already have everything I need from you in my system," he stated as Tien struggled for air. "However, I had to spend a lot of valuable energy to get out of your little trap and I think it's only fair that you repay me, don't you agree?"

He smirked cruelly as he slowly poised his tail, making sure that the helpless warrior could see it coming. Cackling evilly, he shot out the deadly syringe towards Tien's chest, but in a blur of pink, his target disappeared. Confused, he looked at his own tail and noticed that a small piece of white fabric with a few droplets of blood on it, was stuck on the tip of the needle. A small groan caught his attention. Frowning, he looked up and his eyes widened at the sight of Tien and his rescuer.

There she was: Mirai Lara. Floating a few meters above him, holding the injured warrior in her arms. She was glaring daggers at him and he suddenly noticed why; the fabric was a part of her bodysuit. The tip of his tail had grazed her left leg when she swooped down to grab Tien.

"You should be more careful, my dear," he chuckled.

"We need to talk. Now."

Cell cocked an invisible eyebrow. What was that woman up to this time?

"I'm afraid I have some more pressing matters to attend to," he said mockingly.

"The androids, I take it?"

"They have escaped me for now, but they can't run from me forever… Especially with 16 damaged"

"So you saw him too?"

"You sound like you're surprised," he stated with mild curiosity.

"This timeline is somehow different then mine. Including you, there're supposed to be only three androids, not four… six if you count in 19 and 20"

"Things have changed indeed, but you forgot to mention that I'm stronger than you expected me to be, or you wouldn't have been so careless around me"

"I was tired from my journey and underestimated you. It will not happen again"

He looked at her face. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, her expression blank. Almost… like she didn't have a soul. He hated to admit it, but he felt very uncomfortable under her gaze. He decided not to show it, and smirked.

"Do you realize how intriguing you are, my dear?"

She just rolled her eyes and flew up to the roof of a building where she dropped Tien. She then flew back down to Cell, but kept her distance.

"Why are you standing all over there?" he taunted. "Am I making you anxious?"

"Like I said, I will not…"

A beeping noise coming from a pocket on her leg interrupted her. She reached for the strange device that was stored there and cursed loudly when she looked at it.

"Damn it! They got another one!"

"What's wrong?" he asked in a mock worried tone.

"Remember those shield emitters I told you about?"

"Those cars?"

"The humans are trying to destroy them! That's what I came to tell you!"

"Why would they do that?"

"Because a few of the races that help me build them, were extremely protective about their technology. The cars self-destruct the moment someone tries to get a closer look… Paranoid bastards!"

There it was again: that spark of anger in her eyes. It send shivers down his spine.

"how many emitters are left?"

"Well… the humans destroyed three already, and Susan and android 17 both got one, so there are only two left…"

"But they won't find me, so why did you go through the trouble of warning me?" he grinned deviously. "You're taking quite a risk, my dear"

"Don't flatter yourself!" she scowled. "Now that I'm rested, I'm three times as fast as you are"

"Perhaps… but that will change as soon as I have absorbed the androids," he paused and chuckled, "and your lovely sister"

"You'll have to find her first, and don't think I'll let you steal my tricorder again"

Cell was surprised. Didn't she know what had happened?

"Tell me, Lara, do you even know where she is?" he asked. "Or rather… with who?"

She gasped, horror was evident on her face. "Oh no… not him again!"

"If you are referring to android 17, you are correct" he said, but she didn't seem to hear him. Instead, Mirai Lara was panicking.

"No, no, no … why didn't she leave? If he… if those shield emitters… WHY IS EVERYTHING GOING WRONG AGAIN?"

"Is that a trick question?" Cell mocked, and she snapped out of her rage. Brushing a few strands of hair out of her face, she looked straight into his the eyes, her expression blank again.

"Cell, when all of the shield emitters are destroyed, they will transport to Earth and hunt you down. Your Borg Blocker will protect you from their sensors, but it will not protect you from their attack"

"I do not need your protection, my dear," he sneered. "I'm perfectly capable of…"

He stopped when he felt something on his face. Lara had moved behind him and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"if I had been Borg," she whispered in his ear, "you would've been assimilated now"

Too stunned to react, Cell let Lara walk away again. She threw him a cold glare and closed her eyes. For a few seconds, she just stood there and suddenly…

"Lara, I thought you'd never call me!"

Cell almost fell over when a smug looking man in Saiyan armor suddenly appeared right next to her. The man looked back at him, and his face twisted into a deep frown.

"By Captain Picard's underwear… you're just about the ugliest creature I've ever seen!"

"What are you?" Cell hissed violently, baring his fangs.

The man made a mock bow and grinned.

"I'm Q and I don't have time for you… hey, that rhymed!" He looked at Lara and then at her leg. "Did he…"

"Just a scratch, I'll live"

"Rub it in, why don't you?"

"Sorry"

Cell watched in amazement as the two aliens talked. What was going on here!

"I gave Pickles the 'package' and paid Vegeta that 'visit'"

Lara grinned slightly at this.

"How did he react?"

"I think that for a few seconds, he actually ascended straight to SuperSaiyan 685. Then he tried to attack me and Trunks had to knock him out," he smirked. "I feel like I'm going to die three times over, but I have to admit that it was worth it"

"You're such a drama queen, Q"

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT?" Cell roared, not liking that he was being ignored.

"I think your pet roach is getting a little agitated, Lara" Q commented dryly

The Uranian glanced at Cell, who looked like he was going to explode any second, and back at the omnipotent. She narrowed her eyes and after a few seconds, Q suddenly looked awfully pale. After that, she smiled slightly. The android realized that they were probably using telepathy to communicate. He growled, drawing the attention of the strange duo. Lara cocked an eyebrow and to his satisfaction, fear briefly flashed through her eyes.

("If you ever plan on teleporting Tien out of here,") she said telepathically, ("I suggest you do it now")

("You sure you don't want a lift?")

("Do you have enough energy left?")

("On second thought… I don't think I do")

("So, you can't teleport Susan either, huh?")

("Don't push your luck, I'm already going to sacrifice my final remaining hours to save the triclops. The Supreme Kai didn't give me as much of my original energy back as I had hoped")

("Speaking of energy, it looks like my 'pet roach' is becoming increasingly more interested in yours")

Q glanced at Cell and just barely managed to dodge his tail. The android grinned evilly at the omnipotent's shocked expression.

"Stop that!" Q snapped, more annoyed than afraid.

"I don't know what you are or where you're from," Cell sneered, "but I don't have time for this!"

He made another dash for the smug-looking alien, but in a flash of white light, his target disappeared and reappeared next to Tien.

"What the…"

Q grabbed the fallen warrior with one hand. Using the other, he mockingly waved at Cell. The android roared in anger and flung a Ki blast at them, but it was already too late. Q flashed Lara a brief smile and snapped his fingers one last time.

"Farewell… old friend," she mumbled softly as they finally vanished, leaving her and Cell behind.

* * *

"I spy with my little eye… something… bald!"

"Let me guess… it's me?"

Susan smiled at Krillin. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Because you already picked me 15 times in a row!" The monk exclaimed.

"You don't have to snap! Sjeesh…"

Susan pulled up her knees and sulked. Boredom was setting in and she had lost all sense of time. She felt like they had been here for days. According to 16's internal clock, it had only been 20 minutes.

It was pretty funny when you thought about it; here she was in a room with one of the strongest humans on the planet, a nature obsessed robot and two homicidal androids. To top it off, the Borg were still somewhere out there, just like a future version of her sister and also, a giant mutated bug-lizard like monster was hunting them down to steal their life energy so he could become strong enough to destroy the universe. You'd think that that would be enough to keep her from getting bored!

Susan muttered something under her breath and got up, deciding to take walk. The walls were starting to close in on her and she seriously needed to find some food and go to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" 17 asked.

_Not this again…_ she thought annoyed.

"Out"

"Why?"

"None of your business"

She was about to open the door, but the raven-haired blocked her path. Krillin opened his mouth to object, but quickly decided not to as he received a cold warning glare.

"You are staying here," he ordered threatening.

"Look mister," she growled in a low tone, "I'm hungry, tired, and I just found out that the people I considered as family were assimilated! I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast, my clothes are dirty and I need to go to the bathroom really, REALLY bad!"

"And how do I know you're not going to try and escape?"

"SJEESH! Did Dr. Gero install some kind of stupidity chip in your brain? Why on Urania would I leave the building while Cell could be lurking around the corner ready to pounce on me!"

Everything was silent after her sudden outburst. Even 18 had cringed at the 'stupidity chip' remark and almost didn't dare to look how her quite easily offended brother would react. Susan now also realized that it might had not been a very smart move, but it's amazing what an empty stomach and a full bladder can make you blurt out.

_Note to self,_ she thought, _do not insult insanely powerful androids when they're standing right in front of you._

To everyone's surprise, he slowly stepped aside and let her pass.

"Uhm… thanks," she blinked. Deciding not to await his response, she rushed through the corridors in search of the ladies room and a sugar-free snack. _Better not take any chances on the latter,_ she thought shuddering. _I doubt that 17 will let me live for very long when I start running circles around him while trying to perform magic tricks with his bandana…"_


	34. A deal with the devil

**A/N **Sorry for the delay! I've been really busy (like always…), but I finally managed to finish this chapter! The story is slowly beginning to unfold…

* * *

**Chapter 34: A deal with the devil**

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! IT'S NOT TRUE!"

Piccolo did not know what to do. He had just told everyone what had happened to Goku… and as expected, Gohan did not take the news too well. He had told the kid about Q's visit and that he would tell the rest of the story outside the timechamber. They had not completed their training yet, but this could not wait any longer. It would only have took a few "hours" to finish their year, but Piccolo knew that, at this very moment, every second counted.

"Piccolo! This can't be happening! My dad can't be gone!"

"I'm… I'm sorry kid," he uneasily tried to comfort his pupil, "I know how much…"

"We have to fight them!" Gohan yelled as he headed for the edge of the lookout, but he was knocked down by Piccolo. Sobbing, he looked up at his mentor.

"Gohan, listen! Even if we found a way to prevent them from adapting to our energy signals, it would still be too dangerous to fight them while they have Goku!"

"But… if we all work together…"

"Use your head, kid! Unlike Frieza, we can not survive in space! We would have to exchange our gi's for spacesuits and if Goku or the Borg manage to even slightly damage those, we're done for!"

Piccolo stopped, when he heard a growl coming from the Saiyan Prince.

"I will not believe a word from that pathetic excuse for a human!"

"He was not human, father!" Trunks protested, but Vegeta just grunted in response.

"I can't believe all of you are actually buying his little story! That 'Q', or whatever he calls himself, just barged in here, mocked my Saiyan heritage, ran away like a coward and now I'm supposed to let him order me around?" The prince smirked almost evilly. "I don't care what you or the Namek and Kakarot's brat are planning, but I'm going to enter the chamber and begin my training!"

The lavender-haired Saiyan was about to object, but he was interrupted by Piccolo.

"It would probably be for the best if you and Vegeta stayed here, Trunks," he said. "The Borg must be stopped, but we can't forget about Cell and the androids. If we all leave at once, Earth will be a sitting duck"

"But Piccolo," Gohan started, "How are we going to get away from Earth without Cell, the androids or those machine men spotting us?"

"The androids aren't interested in battle yet," Trunks said. "For the moment, they're just seeking entertainment and will only fight when provoked. Cell might go after you, but he's probably too busy searching for 17 and 18 to mind a simple 'standard' spaceship leaving the planet. You just have to make sure you keep your powerlevels low enough not to draw his attention"

"That just leaves the Borg to deal with," piccolo thought out loud. Suddenly, Vegeta snorted.

"If those weaklings rely on technology to locate their enemy, my woman will easily find a way around it"

Trunks couldn't suppress a small smile when he caught a hint of pride in his father's voice. Perhaps he did care more about his wife than he was letting on. His musings were suddenly interrupted when he senses a couple of powerlevels approaching. He turned around and saw Tien, Chiaotzu, Bulma, Yamcha and Lara landing on the Lookout

"Ack! Let me go! I can fly by myself" Lara yelled at Tien who had slung her over his shoulder.

"And risk you running off again?" he asked.

"But the Doctor won't make it on his own!" she argued, struggling to get free.

"Right now, the Doctor stands a better chance than any of us do, Lara," Bulma reasoned, while she jumped out of Yamcha's arms. "Cell won't sense him and even if he does, The Doctor will be okay as long as his mobile emitter isn't damaged"

"Ahem…" Trunks coughed, catching everyone's attention.

"Tien! You're alright!" Gohan exclaimed happily.

"I was at Korin's to pick up a few senzubeans when suddenly a guy who called himself 'Q' showed up," Yamcha said. "He mumbled something about 'Lara owning him one' and then just… vanished"

"After I got a senzubean, we decided to pick up the others and head for the Lookout," Tien continued. "We figured that we should put our heads together and come up with a plan to sort this mess out."

"What about Krillin?" Gohan asked.

"He's hiding his powerlevel, we couldn't find him or Susan," Chiaotzu sighed.

"The Doctor took one of my hoverbikes to look for them," Bulma added

"It's no use," Piccolo grunted. "thanks to Kami, I can sense the event's taking place on Earth…"

"And?" Lara pressed on. "Is Susan alright? I swear, if those androids lay ONE finger on…"

"It does not look like the androids intent to hurt Krillin or your sister, but I doubt we can say the same about Cell. Let's just hope they can stay put until we get back from New Namek and…"

"Wait a minute guys," Bulma interrupted. "Let's talk each other up to speed first, because I'm getting seriously confused here"

Piccolo sighed and told everyone about Q and his message. After Lara had recovered from the initial shock after finding out what had happened to Goku and the Voyager crew, Tien started to tell his side if the story and so on.

"So… what's the plan?" Yamcha asked.

"Vegeta and Trunks will go inside the chamber and train for a whole day. The rest of you will go back to the Capsule Corp. lab and wait until Bulma has found a way to fool the Borg's sensors. Gohan and I will stay on Earth and try to track down the androids"

"I'm staying too!" Lara said defiantly.

"I know you're worried about Susan," Bulma said, "but getting yourself killed isn't going to solve anything"

"Besides that, if anything happens to her, we can wish her back with the Dragonballs!" Yamcha added.

"Well… okay, I'll go with you guys," she sighed in defeat. "I just hope we can get there before the Borg come up with the same idea"

* * *

Cell was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. Where did they go? What kind of trickery was this? Oh well… it did not matter. He had more important things on his mind right now. He glanced at Mirai Lara, who was still standing a few metres away from him and his mind wandered off to the kiss she had given him. He had been too stunned to react, and he suspected that it had been a very clever strategic move on her part. The element of surprise, so to speak. She knew that if she had simply touched him, he would've surely attacked. It was obvious that Mirai Lara was far less impulsive and naïve than her younger counterpart.

Cell glanced in the direction of the young woman, and was surprised that she was had not left. She appeared to be in deep thought, but the android knew she was very well aware of her surroundings.

"What are you still doing here?" he asked almost mockingly.

"I'm trying to decide my next move," she answered.

"I'm disappointed in you, my dear," he smirked. "When we first met, you seemed to know exactly what you were doing, and now you're just making it up as you go?"

"Too many things have changed in this timeline," she spat venomously at him. "My goals are still the same, but under the current circumstances, my original plan will no longer suffice."

He frowned, until he suddenly realized what 'circumstances' she referred to. Her sister! The woman was worried about that girl, but what did her presence had to do with her "original" plan now being useless? What could possibly be her goal? He was beginning to lose his patience with the alien, and decided to try a different approach…

"I'm sure you're just dying to finally reveal your true intentions, Lara, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer for I have a date with a couple of androids." He turned around and prepared to take off, when…

"WAIT!"

Grinning evilly, he looked back at the young woman who seemed to have an inner conflict of epic proportions. He could see on her face that she was struggling to say something and to fight back the words at the same time. She had obviously no idea what to do.

"If you leave now…" she said with great difficulty, while sweating bullets, "it'll take you hours… to…find…"

"The androids?"

"…yes"

Suddenly, it dawned on him. One of her goals… was the same as his own.

"You came here… to help me become complete?" he asked in disbelieve.

His suspicions were affirmed when Lara nodded slowly.

"Things are so messed up…"she mumbled, "it isn't supposed to go like this… my visions have never been wrong before…"

"Visions, my dear?"

"I used to have them… years ago… I saw flashes of how life should've been… small glimpses of a reality in which everyone was still…" Lara stopped talking as her eyes glazed over. Suddenly, she violently shook her head and growled. "No! I will not let you distract me!"

"I had no intention to, Lara," Cell purred, "but I am rather curious about your motives"

"I can't tell you"

"Be reasonable, woman," he cooed as if he was talking to a 5-year old. "My main goal is to become complete and obviously this is also necessary for your plan, whatever it might be, to work. Why not simply stop this nonsense and just help me find the androids like you originally intended?"

"You know very well why," she hissed angrily.

"Ah yes, your dear sister is with them…" he paused and looked at her for a moment. "What if I would just go and find the androids myself? It might take me a while, but they can't hide from me forever"

"I know you better than that, Cell. You're longing for perfection, the desire to become complete is growing stronger with every passing minute. You would never dismiss the change of reaching your goal faster that easy"

"You have a proposition?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I will lead you to the androids, if you let my sister go unharmed"

Cell laughed loudly at this. "Do you really think I'll agree with that? Your help will only save me a couple of hours and in return, I have to give up on this perfect opportunity to acquire the unique qualities of your race? That's hardly a fair, don't you agree?"

She glared coldly at him. "Life isn't fair, deal with it"

Cell, however, was not intimidated this time because he knew the young woman was bluffing. She was determine to save that girl, even if that meant putting her own life on the line. The bioandroid turned to Mirai Lara and chuckled darkly.

"I believe I found a way for both of us to have our cake and eat it too"

"Let me guess… I'm the cake?" she snorted. "Sorry Cell, but I don't think so"

"May I ask why not?" he asked in a mock polite tone.

"Because you would get more than just energy or my powers. You would be able to see my memories, including the ones I prefer to keep to myself for now." She paused and her gaze became distant again. Her expression darkened and it suddenly felt like the temperature had dropped several degrees. "I do not fear death, nor do I fear pain," she continued emotionlessly. "Only failure"

An uneasy silence fell between them as they stood eye to eye. Cell was slightly disappointed by her reaction. He had expected her to instantly agree with his proposition, but apparently her secrets weren't going to be unlocked so easily. It was obvious that she couldn't care less about her own wellbeing. Cell had seen this type of behaviour before amongst humans. Most of them would run away the minute he revealed his presence, but there had been a few exceptions. He remembered raiding a hospital a few days ago, and finding a young man crying next to the lifeless body of a little girl. Even after offering his prey a head start to make things more interesting, the man had simply refused to move, mumbling something about just wanting to be with his daughter again. The blank expression in the eyes of his victim was eerily similar to the hollow gaze of Mirai Lara… and yet it did not even come close.

"Failure?" he asked, deciding to hide his confusion even though she could probably sense it.

"I need to see what happens… I did not spend 30 years working on a plan to finally make things right, just to set up my game pieces, let you kill me and hope for the best!"

"How about a compromise?" Cell purred slyly.

"I'm listening…"

"After I become complete, I will spare your sisters life, in exchange for yours"

"And?" Lara pressed on.

"Starting then, I'll give you 24 hours to watch your plan unfold"

Mirai Lara stayed silent for a few seconds and suddenly glared at him.

"A month," she demanded.

"Five days," the android countered.

"Two weeks Cell, take it or leave it"

After thinking about it for a moment, an evil smirk slowly spread across his face. He turned his head towards her so they stood eye to eye, and laughed darkly.

"We have a deal, my dear"


	35. Trapped

**A/N: **Woot! I finally finished my school project! I've been working on it for almost six months and I though I'd never get it done! I just hope I pass or I have to come back in August… eep!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll be writing another one soon along with a new installment for "Star Trek Academy". Read and review! (and a special thank you to those who already did!)

* * *

**Chapter 35: Trapped**

Annoyed, the Queen watched the latest addition to the hive mind regenerating in his alcove. They had been trying for several days to break through the mysterious shield, but all efforts had proven to be futile so far. Goku was amazingly strong, or at least he had been. Unfortunately, they had discovered that the Saiyan gained strength through his emotions. He was still a lot more powerful than the average drone, but in his current state, he could only use a fraction of his abilities. Until they had found a way to utilize his power without restoring his individuality, Goku would never be able to break through the shield.

This left the Queen with only one other option: to do it the "old fashioned way" and simply use their own weapons. However, the shields were highly advanced and appeared to be set to a rotating modulation. They would have to adapt at least three times faster than they were able to, in order to even make a dent, so to speak.

Of course, even the best shield or forcefield could withstand only a certain amount of brute strength. If she could access Goku's full potential, it would only be a matter of time before the defense systems went down.

If she gave him his a small part if his individuality back, like she had done to Locutus, it might be enough. However, Saiyans were extremely difficult to control. If she even slightly weakened her hold on his mind, there was a risk that he would break free entirely.

The queen took another look at his memory about the Dragonballs. At first, she had wanted to immediately go to New Namek to wish for perfection (naturally), but his memories also revealed that one had to make the wish in Namekian in order for it to work. These Nameks also appeared to have regenerative abilities that were far above average and they would greatly add to their perfection.

Unfortunately, she did not know the coordinates of the planet. The 'Kais' as Goku called them, would be able to pinpoint the exact location, but they would be even harder to track down. Also, these Kais, as well as the some of the Nameks, were incredibly strong AND fast. The Borg could adapt to energy blasts but not to kicks and punches. If she whished to pursue them now, the collective could only defeat them by the power of numbers, which meant that she was going to need a lot more drones than she had at her disposal now. Even if she sent a signal through the rift and call in twenty extra cubes, it would most likely not be enough to overpower the Nameks, let alone the Kais. Besides that, she had only one drone that could fly and she did not want to risk losing the Saiyan yet.

At least… not without having a few others standing by to replace him…

* * *

Susan let out a whistle when she saw the damage done to the cafeteria. Table were toppled over, half-eaten foods were strewn across the floor and empty clothes marked the spots where the unlucky employees had been eating their lunches before a certain android had cut their break short. 

A shiver ran down her spine as she pictured Cell bursting through a wall, grinning wickedly at the terrified men and women just before raising his tail and moving in for the kill…

_Stop it!_ she mentally scolded herself. _Panicking is going to get you nowhere! If Cell shows up, you have to stay cool and don't freak out or you'll faint again! And for Kami's sake, stop talking to yourself! What will 17 think if he finds out!_

Susan sighed. She had tried to get over him, but she could not erase the raven-haired android from her memory. His cold blue eyes, his smooth voice, the almost devilish smirk on his face…

Yes, Susan definitely had a soft spot for the "bad boy" type and she hated herself for it. What was she thinking! Lara was the designated bubblehead back on Voyager! _She_ should've been the one to stupidly fall in love with the nearest handsome evil guy, and Susan would then smack some sense back into her. Not the other way around!

She had to try harder to put the android out of her mind. She would NOT turn into one of those ditzy, happy-go-lucky girls she had once seen in one of Tom and Harry's holonovels! Love at first sight, was frowned upon at Urania. You had to become close friends first, get to know each other a little better and then give it ten to twenty years to slowly develop into something more. With an average lifespan of 280 years, this wasn't much of a problem.

Then again … just how likely was she to grow old at the moment?

Susan started muttering under her breath as she continued rummaging through the shelves, hoping to find something that looked at least remotely edible. She let out a frustrated sigh when she threw away another sugar-loaded candy bar. She continued to rummage through the broken shelves and finally stumbled on some fruit. Most of it had been squished beyond recognition, but she managed to find a couple of oranges that were only slightly bruised. Not much, but it would have to do.

Munching on her 'catch', she let her thoughts return to the problem at hand. Cell was hot on their trail, and she was pretty sure that they had not seen the last of the Borg yet either. What was she going to do when their time was up? Would she just step up to whoever had found them first and say: "Oh, excuse me? I know you just can't wait to absorb or assimilate me, but can I have a few minutes more to live so I can stupidly confess my undying love to android 17? You'll get first dibs on my corpse after he's ripped my head off!"

She was so caught up in her own musings, that she did not notice the shadowy figure standing in the doorway. It approached her silently and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Talking to yourself…?"

It did not get a chance to finish it's sentence, as Susan immediately whirled around and whacked it straight on the head with a broken coffee mug.

"EEEEEEEEK! GET AWAY FROM ME YOU…" she blinked a few times when she did not fell it connect to the head of the intruder.

"SUSAN! It's me! Please calm down!"

"Sorry Doc, I though you were Cell," she apologized with a sheepish grin on her face.

"How flattering"

"What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with Bulma and Lara?"

"Don't worry about them, they are at a place called "Kami's Lookout", which is supposed to be safe"

"Doc, before you start talking… " she suddenly interrupted him, "I'm afraid I've got some bad news…"

With a grim expression on his face, the Doctor listened to Susan's story. She told him everything about running into Mirai Lara, escaping Cell, running into the androids and Voyager…

"All of them?" the Doctor whispered.

"Sorry Doc…" she sighed and hung her head. "We're the only ones left…"

For a few moments, Voyagers EMH just gaped at her. He wasn't programmed to cry, but he wished he could. He was designed to be efficient in times of crisis. He could not permit himself to mourn for every patient he lost, because that could put other lives at risk. However, the Doctor had grown beyond his program. He had become a true member of the Voyager crew and to him, it felt like they were his family.

Their faces flashed before his eyes. Tom Paris, ensign Kim, the Delaney twins, Seven of Nine, Icheb, Tuvok, Neelix, the Captain…

And hundreds of others…

…the entire crew…

… all Borg…

"Hey, don't worry Doc," Susan said softly. "We'll find a way to get them back… I mean… Seven was a drone for 18 years and you made her human again! We just have to get them off the cube and you can fix them… right?"

"We'll worry about that later," the Doctor said a bit harsher than he had intended. "Right now, we need to focus on our own survival before we even begin to think of planning a rescue mission"

"So… you think it's possible? To save them, I mean?"

The Doctor thought for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully.

"I don't know…" he started carefully, "the odds are rather against us at the moment"

Susan raised an eyebrow and rolled her eyes.

"You mean: we're dead"

"I didn't say that"

"You might as well," she sighed and gave him a questioning look. "Seriously Doctor, how are we ever going to get out of this mess?"

Susan didn't wait for an answer and wandered off, searching around for something to drink. The sink had been destroyed, so she would have to find something else. After a few minutes, she stumbled on a small refrigerator buried under the rubble. It was mainly filled with sugar-loaded soft drinks, but luckily she found a large bottle of mineral water in the back. She also grabbed a few cans of lemonade, since Krillin would probably want a drink too.

Just before closing the door, Susan glanced inside one more time. Shouldn't she find a bag and take some more cans for the androids as a gesture of good will? 16 was a machine, but 17 and 18 were based on humans. Did they get thirsty?

Before she could decide, she felt someone tapping on her shoulder.

"Not now Doc, I'm busy," she mumbled, trying to get out a few more bottles of water, since she had now idea how long her current supply would have to last.

He tapped on her shoulder again, a little more impatient this time.

"Just a minute," she waved at him over her shoulder, "I'll be right there"

This time, he coughed rather loudly and poked her upper arm. Annoyed, she spun around.

"WHAT?" she burst out. "WHAT IS IT? WHY DO YOU…?" she trailed off when she saw that the Doctor was on the other side of the cafeteria, and that she was instead standing eye to eye with a very peeved raven-haired android.

"Susan!" the Doctor shouted, while hurrying towards her, "One of the androids is…"

He trailed off when he noticed that she had already found out. 17 glared briefly at him and turned to back to Susan, who was twitching and mumbling something incoherent.

"I see you made a friend," he remarked.

"I am the EMH of the U.S.S. Voyager," the Doctor spoke up, slightly offended that the android was talking like he wasn't even there.

"EMH?" 17 raised an eyebrow.

"Emergency Medical Hologram, put most people just call me Doctor," he explained.

"That's not much of a name, is it?" the android smirked.

"At least it's better than just two digits," the Doctor mumbled sarcastically. Unfortunately, the android's enhanced hearing picked up his witty comment.

"Why you…!"

With a growl, 17 threw a kick at the Doctor. To his shock, it went right through him! He whirled around and punched him straight between the eyes, but his fist did not connect with anything but air and he fell flat on his face. Bewildered, he looked up at the strange man.

"I am a doctor, not a punching bag," the Doctor remarked, while hoping that the android would give up before he managed to land an attack on his mobile emitter. Luckily, 17 quickly noticed that he was wasting his energy.

"Uhm… do you… want a drink?" Susan nervously asked, trying to distract the android for a bit.

"I am an android," 17 snapped at her.

"I guess that means 'no' then," she mumbled as she put the water and cans in a bag.

"Susan, put those down, Cell will be here any second!" the Doctor called. He grabbed her wrist and tried to run for the exit. Susan was about to protest, when suddenly, android 17 swiftly moved in front of the doorway, causing the hologram and the alien to bump into him.

"Are you insane?" the Doctor hissed. "This is no time to pick a fight! If Cell finds us, we will all be killed!"

"And I suppose you know where that thing is now?" the android asked smugly.

"Well… no," he answered uneasily.

"Doc," Susan tried, "we managed to get here only because Tien was distracting him, but his powerlevel already vanished over 20 minutes ago"

"So Cell is probably waltzing his way over to our hiding place as we speak," 17 smirked, while grinning at Susan's frightened expression. He let go of her arm and grabbed the bag, inspecting the contents.

"Just water and a few cans of lemonade?" he questioned.

"What's so strange about that?" she asked.

"If I were you, I would've picked something with alcohol… with a little luck, you might get yourself drunk before that thing finds us…" he smirked evilly, "or I change my mind"

To his surprise, Susan was not intimidated. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and scowled at him.

"Yeah, just keep yapping mister big shot," she snorted, "but I'm not the one who got clobbered back there!"

In a flash, he grabbed her neck and pinned her against a wall. The Doctor tried to pry the android's hands off her, yelling to let her go, but the artificial human would not budge.

"Don't…EVER…talk to me like that again!" he hissed.

"Or what...?" she choked out. "You'll…kill…me…?"

He tightened his grip, making her gasp for air.

"LET HER GO!" The Doctor shouted again. In a desperate attempt to break Susan free, the hologram grabbed a chair and brought it down on 17's head with al the strength he could muster. The android, unfortunately, did not even blink and continued to strangle the helpless Uranian.

"I just might do that," he said in an icy voice.

"Like…when…you…saved…me…?" she managed to spat sarcastically. She could not believe she was actually daring him to go through with it, but her mind was clouded with anger. Everything around her went dark, leaving her alone with her own thoughts. She wasn't just mad at him, but also at herself for not even being able to fight back. Uranians weren't exactly a warrior race, but neither were humans and look at Krillin and Tien! Then again, they had practiced martial arts their entire life, while Susan had to resort to flying to get inside Dr. Chaotica's Fortress of Doom on the Holodeck. Tom and Harry had fallen over laughing when she just couldn't get past 'Satan's Robot', who kept knocking her away from the gates.

_CLUNK!_

She heard the sound of something metallic connecting to the android's head, like a fire extinguisher maybe. She faintly caught the Doctor yelling at her to hold on, but she had no idea where his voice came from. It felt like she was just floating peacefully in a black void of nothingness.

("Susan, can you hear me?")

Her eyes snapped open when she suddenly heard a familiar voice seeking contact.

("…Lara?")

("Are you okay? Piccolo says I don't have to worry, but Chiaotzu told us about the androids and …")

("I'm fine,") Susan lied, thankful that Lara could not sense if she was speaking the truth while using telepathy, and Piccolo apparently was able to block her.

("Then why do I have this nagging feeling that you're not?")

("It's probably just stress,") She tried to assure her. Lara had to stay out of this or 17 would kill her too! It was odd though, she felt perfectly fine! Not even her neck was sore. Was she dreaming?

("How are you contacting me anyway?") she tried to change the subject. ("We're too far apart!")

("Piccolo helped me set up some kind of temporary link, isn't it cool?") she paused for a moment. ("Anyway… uhm… I wanted to tell you….")

("Is it about Voyager?")

("…Yeah…")

("I know…")

("HOW? Don't tell me that Q…")

("Well, Cell showed up and… wait a minute… Q?")

Lara continued to send Susan her thoughts and filler her in on what had happened. She also told her about their trip to Namek. Bulma was almost finished building a new type of ship that could get them there in just a few hours. It also had Borg-proof shielding and a cloaking device. Apparently, the pad that Q gave to Piccolo, had contained much more than just coordinates.

("So… you guys are really going to wish them back?")

("That's right!") Lara nodded. ("And with Voyager's help, those androids won't know what hit them!")

Susan chuckled at her younger sister's energetic enthusiasm. It didn't matter how bad things got, just leave it to Lara get everyone's spirits up. It was hard to imagine what could've possibly happened that had caused her to turn into the dark Mirai version that they had met earlier.

("Sis?")

("Yeah?")

("… Good luck")


	36. Engage!

**A/N: **Sorry it took so long, but I've been having some difficulties with the plot. I felt that I had "trapped myself" by making the story so complicated. It took me a couple of weeks to find a solution to fit everything I wanted to write into the story, but today I finally got an idea. I've written the "skeleton" of the plot down, so writing new chapters should go a lot smoother from now on. Enjoy the new chapter!

P.S. Maybe a tiny bit OOC for android 17, call it artistic licence if you want.

* * *

**Chapter 36: Engage!**

"LET HER GO!"

17 ignored the shouting hologram and stared at the unconscious alien he was still holding by the neck. Something was not right: he didn't really intend to kill her yet, he just wanted to strike fear into her heart. She had to realise that they were not 'friends' or 'allies', and that she was at his mercy!

The Android scowled at the blue-haired girl and with a sigh, dropped her on the cold floor. With a huff, he turned his back to her and narrowed his eyes at the Doctor.

"Fix her. Now."

The Doctor wanted to shoot him the deadliest glare he could muster, but decided against it. The android had strangely let her go and he didn't want him to change his mind. He grabbed his medkit and started to scan Susan with a medical tricorder. To his surprise, the oxygen levels in her blood were completely normal! Frowning, he took a closer look at her neck. There were only a few very slight bruises. 17 had used a pretty firm grip, but not enough to completely shut off her air supply. She had probably just fainted from shock.

"Is she dead?" the android inquired.

"What do you care?" the Doctor snapped.

"I don't," the android shrugged, "but I'd hate to see my favourite playmate perish so easily"

"Why are you doing this?" the hologram asked angrily. "Why do you think everything is one big game?"

"Because that's just what it is," the android answered smugly. "We were programmed to destroy Goku, but since he's currently absent, we need to find a way to keep ourselves busy until he shows up again"

"You killed your creator! You don't need to follow his orders!"

"You're saying I should just ignore my programming?" 17 asked with mock surprise.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," the doctor exclaimed. "When I was first activated, I was nothing more than an standard EMH, but as my program kept running longer, I developed! I experienced emotions, build friendships and learned how to sing! I went on away missions, made first contact with an alien species and even acted as Captain for a few hours! I ascended beyond the boundaries of my program and became a valued member of the Voyager crew!" He paused for a moment and continued. "I'm nothing more than a collection of photons and forcefields, while you androids actually used to be real humans of flesh and blood! If I can exceed my programming, why shouldn't you be able to?"

The android felt like the whole world had slowed down to a complete stop the Doctor's words kept repeating over and over in his head.

"_Why shouldn't you be able to?"_

"… _you be able to?"_

"… _able to?"_

For some reason, they had sparked something in his mind. Could it really be possible? Could he really just give up fighting and live a quiet life, away from that monster that wanted to absorb him? He suddenly saw himself sitting on his knees in a garden, tending to the plants. He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, and turned to face the girl he had failed to kill for so many times. A soft breeze blew through her marine blue hair and she leaned in closer with a gentle smile on her face…

"NO!" the android roared, grabbing the sides of his head. "Me and my sister were supposed to be the ultimate warriors! The Earth was our playground and no one could stand in our way!"

"Until Cell showed up"

"…"

"You're afraid, aren't you?" the Doctor asked, his counselling subroutines kicking in. "You used to feel like you were invincible… untouchable… but then that illusion is suddenly shattered and you would do anything to regain some of the power and control you lost," he sighed.

"Ridiculous," 17 growled, but his voice was shaking.

"When Susan made that comment, you felt vulnerable and confused! You needed to take your anger out on someone and completely lost control!"

"Enough," the android hissed venomously, while turning to Susan. "Her blabbering meant nothing to me. I only wanted to show that girl her place," he narrowed his eyes at the hologram. "And if you don't remember yours, there's not going to be anything left of her for that creature to absorb"

With a snort, he walked over to Susan and tossed her over his shoulder. The Doctor sighed and followed them back to the office room. The hologram could easily think of a hundred sarcastic remarks, but he had to remind himself that Susan was made out of flesh and blood. One wrong move and she would have to pay the price…

_In the mean while…_

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

Everyone sweatdropped at backed away from the furious Chi Chi. The ship was finally ready for take-off, and everyone (except Vegeta and Trunks, of course) had assembled at the new headquarters of Capsule Corporation to watch the launch. Gohan had decided at the last moment that he would rather join Bulma's "crew", which consisted of Lara, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu and the blue-haired genius herself. Piccolo had hesitated at first, but eventually agreed to let the boy go, knowing what it meant for him to help search for the Dragonballs so his father could be wished back. Chi Chi, however, was not so easily persuaded.

"Mom, I'll study when I get back! I promise!" the young demi-saiyan begged.

"Forget it, Gohan!" she screeched. "I will not have MY baby boy going into space to fight those…those… THINGS!"

"We won't be fighting them," Lara interrupted her. "My future-self has invented some kind of cloak that will…"

"That 'cloak' can sing and dance for all I care, it's too dangerous! My son is staying put and that's final!"

"Please mom…" Gohan begged, "I want to go… I want to save dad! He's one of those 'things' now, remember?"

"Come on Chi Chi," Bulma tried. "We could really use his help and I'll promise not to let him out of my sight"

"Oh… alright," the woman finally gave in, "but only on one condition!"

"What's that?"

"I'm coming with you, to make sure Gohan keeps up with his studies!"

The Z-fighters groaned, but they knew that it was much safer to go a couple of rounds against Cell while wearing earplugs and a blindfold, than to challenge the wife of son Goku. Chi Chi grabbed a capsule which contained all of her son's books (she never went anywhere without it) and entered the ship.

"Alright, take your seats people," Bulma ordered. "We're taking off in 10…9…8…"

"Wait! Wait!" it sounded from outside. The scientist looked through the window and spotted her father running towards their vessel. She opened a hatch in the roof and poked her head out.

"What is it dad?"

Dr. Briefs took a couple of objects out of the pocket of his lab coat and handed them to his daughter.

"Mirai Lara's datapads?" she frowned. "I already tried everything I could think of, it's hopeless!"

"Don't give up honey, maybe a change of environment will help!"

"Well, okay," she sighed, "I'll look them over again on the way and see if there's something I missed"

"That's our girl! your mother and I know you can do it"

"Thanks dad," she smiled.

"Hey, can we go already?" Lara complained from the back. "The sooner we get to Namek, the sooner we can get back to save Susan!"

"And my dad!" Gohan chimed in.

"Okay, okay! Keep your pants on!" Bulma rolled her eyes and went back to her seat. She waved goodbye one last time to her parents and punched in the coordinates.

"Everyone ready for take off?"

"Aye, aye Captain!" Lara cheered.

"Alright then," Bulma smirked. "Engage!"

* * *

**A/N: **In the next chapter, we will return to Cell and Mirai Lara and things will really start to heat up! Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! 


	37. And then there was one

**A/N**: I'm back from my vacation, and I managed to get some writing done on the way home. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter 37: And then there was one**

"According to my scanner, we should head that way," Mirai Lara stated, while pointing in the direction of the runaway androids. "It looks like they are hiding in one of the larger buildings"

"It looks like?" Cell repeated while they took off into the air. "Do you mean you are not sure?"

"This thing isn't exactly Starfleet quality," she sighed annoyed. "I can't get an accurate reading from this distance"

"You didn't seem to have so much trouble with that other device," he said. "I'm beginning to think you're trying to stall me"

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes. "You seem to forget that it's your fault I have to use this sorry excuse for a tricorder in the first place"

Cell thought for a moment. She was right, he had been the one to destroy that thing at Capsule Corporation. Then again, 30 years and this was the best replacement she had been able get? Recourses apparently were very limited in her own time. That meant that disaster had not just struck Earth, but probably other planets as well. They were now flying side by side and he took the opportunity to get another good look at her. She still had her pink hair and light pink eyes, but her body looked different and not just because she had aged. Present Lara looked like a healthy young girl while Mirai Lara's appearance resembled that of a dying old lady that lived on the streets. Her pale skin, dull eyes and overall gaunt look showed that food was probably not in big supply either. She didn't exactly seem to be desperate for a hamburger, though. He figured that Uranians, unlike humans, needed rest more than they needed water or nourishment. Fascinating…

"What are you so amazed about?" the woman asked him. That's right, she could sense his emotions. He'd almost forgotten about that.

"I'm surprised that you are still up in the air, my dear," he replied smugly. "By the looks of it, I'd say your body could croak any moment now"

"Well, you try living in my timeline for 30 years and keep your good looks… for as far as you have those"

"Was that an insult?"

"Just returning the favour"

"Touchy, aren't we?" he chuckled. Oh, how he loved getting under her skin!

She suddenly stopped in mid air and looked at her scanner. Cell wasn't quite sure if it was relief or worry that was visible on her face. Maybe a little of both somehow.

"We should walk from here," she stated. "There close… somewhere in this area. Krillin might pick up your powerlevel if we continue to fly"

"That little pest poses no threat to me"

"No, but he will warn the androids and I have better things to do than spend all day hunting them down for you," she snapped annoyed.

"Like planning your funeral, maybe?"

Mirai Lara stayed silent, but Cell knew that their 'deal' was a… sensitive subject. She wasn't in control anymore and he had seen in her eyes that she hated it. He glanced sideways to see the expression on her face, but was met with a blank gaze. The woman had stopped walking and was swaying slightly on her feet. She was breathing heavily and had to grab a streetlight for support to keep herself from falling over. Cell watched with curiosity as she used her free hand to reach for a strange rectangular device in one of her pockets and held it against her neck. After she pressed a button, he heard a sound that resembled that of air escaping from a tire. A few seconds later, she started breathing normally again and continued to walk.

"Something wrong?" Cell asked, like a spider would ask a fly trapped in its web. Well, that was the effect he had been going for. He had sounded more curious than he intended.

"Don't get your hopes up, Cell," she warned. "I'm not going to 'croak' anytime soon"

"In that case, may I ask what that was you just used?"

"It's called a hypospray, you can use it to administer medication without using a needle"

Cell frowned slightly.

"You are ill?"

"It's nothing," she answered in a cold tone, making clear that the conversation was over. The uncomfortable silence between them returned, but it would not last long, for Mirai Lara's scanner suddenly warned them that the androids were only a few meters away. They exchanged glances and turned to the large office building in front of them. Cell grinned evilly and opened the door.

"After you, my dear," he purred.

"I'm not going in"

The android cocked an invisible eyebrow.

"I'm much faster than you or any of them, but if 17 and 18 decide to gang up on me in close quarters, odds won't look to good for me," she answered his unspoken question.

"They won't look much better for your sister either," Cell stated.

"Susan will be alright," Mirai Lara said with a small smile. Cell wasn't even sure if he had really seen it. "We've been in worse situations… as long as you keep your end of the deal, she'll survive. My intuition tells me this"

"How can you be so sure I will?" he asked. Her smile was replaced with a smirk that almost rivalled his own. She tapped her head.

"Empathic, remember? Though, I'll admit that it's not perfect. Out of all the androids, you are the only one I have been able to sense… and it won't last," she paused and sighed, the expression on her face turning dark again. "I don't know exactly how or why, but for some reason I couldn't detect anything after you absorbed the androids in my timeline. It almost felt like you were a walking void"

The sheer bluntness with which she had just revealed one of her biggest weaknesses, almost made his jaw drop.

"I suppose you wonder why I just told you that," she continued without any hint of emotion.

"I would've expected you to at least try and bluff," he admitted.

"Why? I know you're not stupid Cell, you would've found out sooner or later, so I might as well tell you now instead of getting caught in the act and making a fool out of myself"

She glanced at her scanner and turned to the android.

"I'm detecting three Human and one Uranian biosignals on the 46th floor. Uranians have pretty good hearing, so I suggest you avoid the elevator and use the stairs with as less noise as possible"

She turned her back to him and raised her hand in a mock salute.

"See you later," she said and took off into the sky, leaving the slightly bewildered android behind.

* * *

"Wha…what…? Ugh…" Susan mumbled as she slowly regained consciousness. Her mind immediately registered three things: 

1: Her head felt like it was going to explode.

2: She was resting against 17's shoulder

3: The android did not look too happy about it.

"Are you awake yet?' he asked coldly. Susan blushed and quickly shot up, sending him the best death glare she could muster.

"You… you…" she started, but the sudden boost of courage from earlier had already slipped away. Oddly, there didn't come any smug retort from the android's side. In fact, he seemed… embarrassed?

"Hey Susan… are you alright?" Krillin asked timidly.

"Yeah, I think so… Eh?"

The girl's eyes suddenly widened and darted wildly from left to right.

"Susan?" the Doctor asked. "What's wrong?"

"I… I think I sensed something…" she whispered.

"My sensors do not indicate any…" 16 started, but he was quickly cut off.

"No, something's there," the Uranian insisted, "and it's evil, no doubt about it!"

"Oh man," Krillin gulped, "she's right! I can feel Cell's ki! But he's suppressing it, I can't tell where that creep is hiding!"

"He must be in the building already!" Susan stated. "I never would have noticed him if he was further away than…"

A soft creak interrupted them, and android 18 turned ghostly white.

"He's not just inside the building," she whispered, "he's on this fucking floor!"

"A-Alright! D-Don't p-panic!" Krillin stammered, his hands trembling from sheer terror. "We have to s-stay calm and t-think of a plan!"

"An emergency transport sounds really nice right about now!" Susan squeaked.

"You should run," the silent giant spoke. "I will hold Cell off"

"16, I only managed to restore your mobility and even those systems still run a bit wonky. Without your weapons, even I stand a better chance against that monster!"

"The girl's right," 18 agreed. "You are in no condition to fight"

"We have to find a way to get out of this room without going into the hallway or jumping put the window, because there's no doubt that he'll see us if we try that," the Doctor stated.

"The air vents!" Krillin exclaimed. "We can crawl through those until we made it to the staircase!"

"Good thinking!" Susan nodded. "I see one above the ceiling, help me get that hatch off!"

"Allow me," 17 grinned and prepared to blast his way through.

"NO!" they all yelled, but it was already too late: with an almost devilish gleam in his eyes, the android blew up the hatch… and took almost half the ceiling with it.

"Goddammit, 17!" his sister shouted. "Could you have possibly done that any louder?"

The raven-haired android did not get a chance to answer, because another blast send everyone flying and crashing into the walls.

"What the hell!" he exclaimed, but froze when he saw an uninvited guest standing in what was left of the doorway.

"Well, hello there," Cell grinned evilly, "how nice to find all of you here!"

With a loud roar, 16 charged and punched the bio-android back into the hallway. He turned around to face the others.

"GO!"

"But 16…" 18 hesitated.

"If Cell absorbs you guys, everything will be over!" he yelled. "Leave now!"

"Come on sis," 17 tugged her arm, "16 can handle it, let's move!"

Fighting back tears, 18 crawled into the opening, followed by Krillin, Susan and the Doctor. Before going after them, he poked his head out of the opening and turned to the silent warrior one more time.

"Hey," he called, "take care of yourself, big guy"

The android smiled.

"Do not worry about me, just get as far away from this place as possible"

Nodding, 17 closed the hatch behind him and caught up with the others.

* * *

"Man, I can't see a… Oww! Doc, you're mobile emitter is stuck in my hair!" Susan yelped. 

"Stay quiet or I'll blast it out!" 17 snapped behind them.

"I think you did enough blasting for one day, brother!" 18 spat venomously at him.

"Hey, where are we going anyway?" Krillin tried to change the subject.

"Don't look at me!" the Uranian rolled her eyes, "I'm just following… EEEEEEEEEK!"

A giant explosion shook the building, sending the runaways hurtling through the narrow air vent. Susan vaguely registered landing on a very comfortable, 17-shaped pillow.

"Get off me," he hissed, afraid that the racket had given away their position.

"I'm trying!" she whispered embarrassed, but by doing so, she only seemed to get stuck even further into the mass of flailing limbs. Susan tried hopelessly to free her arms, but another explosion toppled everyone over again. It was impossible to tell which way was up or down, and complete and utter chaos quickly ensued:

_"Alright, who's groping me?"_

_"It was an accident 18, I swear!"_

_"Susan, your leg is crushing my mobile emitter!"_

_"I can't even feel my legs!"_

_"Get back here and take it like a man, you perverted little dwarf!"_

_"I was just feeling around for a hatch, honest! I never meant to grab your boobs or… NO! NOT THE FACE! NOT THE FACE!"_

"Will everybody PLEASE calm down!" The Doctor shouted above the others. "We have to get going before that monster…"

"Shhh…!" Susan cut him off. "I think I heard some… EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

The Uranian almost fainted when Cell's tail came crashing through the bottom of the vent, only centimetres from her face.

"Go back! Go back!" Krillin shouted, but the android stabbed at them again and again.

"Of course I could simply blast you all out of your little hiding place," Cell chuckled, "but this is much more fun"

"Oh man," the monk started to panic, "oh man, oh man, oh… ARGH!"

He let out a cry of pain when the deadly syringe plunged through the vent and into his shoulder, paralyzing his arm. They heard Cell cackling madly as he slowly started to drain the helpless warrior of his energy.

"LET HIM GO YOU BASTARD!" 18 yelled as she grabbed the tail and yanked it out. Too fast for anyone to track, it suddenly coiled around her wrist and pulled her through the ceiling, causing the others to come crashing down as well.

"18! H-hold on!" Krillin shouted weakly while he shakily raised his good arm, aiming at the bio-android.

"Way ahead of you, baldy!" 17 smirked as he prepared an attack of his own.

"Kienzan!"

"Crusher Ball!"

With an ear deafening explosion, their combined attack collided with it's target. In the confusion that followed, 18 managed to free her arm, but she did not get very far. Cackling madly, Cell emerged from the fallen debris and with lightning speed, trapped the helpless android in his tail. Before anyone could react, her muffled screams disappeared and Cell let out a bloodcurdling roar. The transformation had begun…

* * *

**A/N: **I only know one of 17's moves by name, and it's a defensive one ("Barrier"), so as a small joke, I equipped him with a lesser known attack from one of the earlier bad guys. Can you guess who? 


	38. Battle of the heart

**A/N:** Thank you for all the reviews! I love hearing what people think about the story!

MC: even though I'm STILL not in it…

SuperSanne: be patient, my dear Kazon friend. Your time will come soon enough.

MC: You've been saying than since chapter 32! Even Oolong gets more lines than me!

SuperSanne: (grabs Chi Chi's frying pan and glares menacingly at Maje Culluh)

MC: No! Not the frying pan! Not the fry… AAAARGH!

_A quick reminder:_

"speaking"

'thinking'

("telepathy")

* * *

**Chapter 38: Battle of the heart**

Paralyzed with fear, Susan and the others could do nothing but watch as Cell underwent his terrifying transformation. The black spots on his body started glowing white as he continued to scream. A bright light engulfed the android, blinding the Uranian.

'Oh man, this is it! We're all going to die!' she panicked. The entire building started shaking like the world was coming to an end, and she lost her balance. Completely disorientated, she slowly got up and tried to detect Cell's emotions to determine his position. Strangely, she couldn't find them, but still heard him roaring as his powerlevel reached it's peak, which meant that the bio-android had not magically disappeared as she had silently hoped. Susan tried to stand perfectly still and clenched her eyes shut. Her instincts screamed at her too run while she had the chance, but Cell's howling bounced off the walls, making it impossible to tell where he was standing and it would be just her luck to grab his tail instead of the doorknob.

After what seemed an eternity, the roaring stopped and the light faded. Susan opened her eyes slowly, afraid that even the slightest movement would draw the android's attention. She first glanced at android 17, who looked slightly dazed as if his brain was still trying process what had just happened. The Doctor was standing next to him, shock clearly visible on his face. Her view shifted to Krillin, who was struggling to stay on his feet. The warrior's eyes had glazed over and his skin had turned sickly pale. Cell had stolen a great deal of his energy, and blood was still trickling from his shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, she finally turned to the bio-android and almost fainted at what she saw: He was taller and much more muscular. His beak had been replaced by a large mouth, giving him a frog-like appearance. His tail was still there, swaying behind him like it had a life of it's own. What perhaps scared her the most, were his eyes. Instead of pink and snake-like, they were now almost human and an icy blue… just like android 17's. She briefly saw the reflection of his sister in them before Cell turned his head and gave her chilling smile.

"Admiring my new look?"

Susan opened her mouth, but no words came out. She suddenly felt her fear being replaced by anger! Hatred! Rage! She felt the overwhelming urge to lash out and rip his head off. But those violent emotions were not her own. Krillin was glaring at the android, shaking with fury. His emotions were so strong that, for a few seconds, they had overloaded her senses. She quickly blocked them out and turned to the aggressive monk.

"Krillin, don't do anything stupid!" she whispered, but he didn't seem to hear her.

"You…monster…!" he growled, clenching his teeth. With a cry of rage, Krillin lunged at the android and drove his feet into every centimetre of his body. Cell laughed and grabbed the monk by his neck.

"Yes, this is much better than my last form," he smirked when he checked his reflection in Krillin's bald head. "I wonder if my strength has improved as well?"

In one fluidic motion, he tossed the fallen warrior into the air and kicked him in the stomach, sending him crashing through the window. Without thinking, Susan jumped after him and caught him before he could slam into the street.

"Krillin! Are you okay?"

The monk only groaned in response. The building suddenly exploded and both 17 and the Doctor crashed into the ground. Looking up, she saw Cell hovering in the air, grinning evilly. He fired a white ki-blast, but 17 jumped back to his feet and batted it away.

"Is that the best you can do?" he shouted, but his voice lacked confidence. Cell was just toying with him and they both knew it.

"Oh, I was just taking your sister's powers for a little test-drive," he smirked cruelly. "Absorbing her truly was an exhilarating experience. Uniting with you should have a similar effect"

"Why… you!"

17 roared and dashed at the bio-android. Unfortunately, the monster didn't even budge and he suddenly found himself being flung through the air like a rag doll. Before he hit the ground, Cell appeared and elbowed him in the ribs. The android struggled to get up, but Cell knocked him down again, planting his right foot firmly on his chest.

"It seems like your luck has run out, android 17," he grinned and poised his tail to strike.

"Don't…count…on…it…" he managed to choke out.

"Eh? What makes you think you still have a chance?"

17 smirked cockily and whispered something, but Cell couldn't understand what he was saying. Curious, he grabbed the android by the collar of his shirt and hoisted him up to his level. 17's irises suddenly started glowing bright red and fired lasers straight into Cell's eyes. Howling in surprise and pain, the bio-android grabbed his face and let go of his prey.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT, YOU PUNK!" Cell roared, trying to regain his vision. He heard stifled giggles, which quickly turned into hysterical laughter coming from Susan and the Doctor. They were mocking him! When the spots that were dancing in front of his eyes disappeared, he quickly regained his composure and smirked.

"I'll give you credit for your efforts, but we both know those little tricks of yours can't hold me off forever," he opened his arms, almost as if inviting him for a friendly hug. "Why don't you make it easier on yourself and stop resisting? Put an end to your futile attempts to delay the inevitable, and I will make it as painless as possible"

"I'll never surrender to you, freak!" 17 spat. "You might've gotten my sister, but you won't get me!"

Cell closed his eyes and grinned.

"Clearly you don't listen to reason, but I might know someone who could convince you"

17's eyes widened when he suddenly saw the image of a young woman with blond hair appearing above Cell's head"

"S…Sis?" he stammered, not believing his eyes.

"What, didn't you recognise me?" she chided playfully.

He cautiously started to back away.

"Hey don't worry, I'm fine!"

"You don't look 'fine' to me," 17 said, suspicious.

"Why not?"

"Maybe because you're just a big, floating head!" Susan exclaimed. Cell gave her a cold stare, sending her hiding behind the Doctor, who was trying his best to save Krillin. He had little tools to work with and the monk was slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Don't listen to her, she's not even from this dimension!" Cell said. "Please continue, 18"

"It's okay, you don't have to be afraid. This power… if only you could feel it! Then you would understand that this is our destiny!"

"Are… you sure?"

"Come on 17, do you really think I would lie to my own brother?"

The android growled and fired a ki-blast at the image. He glared at Cell.

"I'm not buying it, that wasn't 18! She would never try to be all friendly and patient with me like that!" he smiled at the memory of his sister. "You always got exactly one chance to do what she wanted or she'd punch you in the face and drag your unconscious body to the nearest shopping centre. She would never willingly join a disgusting creature like you, and neither will I!"

"You fool! Freely of not, you will join me!"

Snarling, Cell charged at the android and sent him reeling . He could easily absorb him anytime he wanted, but the boy would suffer first for running away and trying to keep him from reaching perfection!

"Susan," the Doctor whispered, "What are you still doing here? When Cell has absorbed 17, you're next!"

"Doc, we can't let him complete his evolution," she stated, her voice shaking.

"I admire your courage, but there's nothing we can do!" he tried to reason.

"There's still hope," she argued. "Lara contacted me when I was unconscious. She's on her way to Namek with the others to find the Dragonballs and wish everyone back! Captain Janeway will know what to do and the others seem to have a lot of faith in that Goku guy. I just somehow have to find a way to keep Cell from becoming complete until then!"

"Wait a minute… You're not seriously thinking of fighting that thing, are you?" the Doctor exclaimed. "You're even more stubborn than B'Elanna!"

"I… I don't know what I'm going to do!" she sighed and hung her head, her thoughts returning to the raven-haired android. "I just don't know…"

Thanks to his Namekian hearing, Cell had heard their conversation. So, that was their plan, eh? Using the Dragonballs from Planet Namek to save Goku and wish the famous Voyager crew back. No doubt that wench from the future was behind this. Oh well, he would let them go. If the Uranians were considered one of the most powerful races in their dimension, he certainly wouldn't have anything to fear from any other aliens that might've served on the ship. Besides that, he was rather curious about that Janeway woman. From the way those girls kept putting their faith in her, he concluded that she had to be a great warrior. He knew that 17 was stronger than any of the Z-senshi, but even he was hardly a challenge. It would be small price to pay letting those fools have their wish, if that meant the opportunity to finally test his new powers against a worthy opponent…

* * *

**A/N:** In the next chapter, things take a turn for the worst and the Doctor will be forced to take a drastic decision that could very well determine the fate of the world. In the meanwhile, Bulma and her crew are on their way to Namek, but will things go as planned? Probably not… stay tuned!

**P.S.** For all you realism lovers out there, don't worry: I won't let the entire crew train in Hyperbolic Time chamber or have B'Elanna build a Brute Ray to transform Janeway into a SuperHuman 4 or something like that (even though it would be kind of cool…)


	39. Hope and Fear, Part I

**A/N:** Updates are still coming slow, as usual. It will probably stay that way. Every time I think things are going to get easier, something else pops up and swallows all my free time. Oh well, I guess I'm just not one of those authors that can write three chapters a week. Thanks for your understanding! I'm sure we all have our priorities.

* * *

**Chapter 39: Hope and Fear, Part I**

"G…Goddamn…"

"Really 17, there's no need to swear"

The raven-haired android growled as Cell approached him menacingly. They were standing on the street, facing each other like cowboys in a cheap, western holonovel. Susan was standing about 20 feet behind 17, next to Krillin and the Doctor. Somehow, Voyager's EMH had managed to stabilize the monk, but he was still unconscious.

The android wasn't fairing much better. He had now started throwing kicks and punches again, but Susan doubted he would last much longer.

"Hey Doc," she whispered. "What are we going to do now? 17 looks like he's about to literally fall apart, I don't think he can…"

"Like I said, we have to run," the Doctor stated grimly. The girl gave him a shocked look.

"We can't let Cell have his way, or the entire planet is doomed! Maybe even the universe!"

"Susan, listen to me," he urged. "There really is nothing we can do! I don't like it either, but staying out here is suicide!"

"Well…" she clenched her fists, "Maybe today is a good day to die"

The Doctors blinked. He had never, EVER seen the Uranian act like this. Her race was one of thinkers and not exactly known for it's warrior spirit. Uranians were build to avoid, rather than start a fight. Speed for escape, flight for staying out of reach and heightened senses to scan their surroundings for hostility. They had even evolved to faint when a predator was about to attack, fooling it into thinking it's prey was dead. Millions of years later, their race had never completely lost those particular trades. The Doctor noticed that Susan was sweating heavily and shaking like a leaf. It was obvious that she was having more and more trouble controlling her instincts, that were screaming at her to run.

"Susan, getting yourself killed isn't going to solve anything!" the hologram tried in a desperate tone that surprised the Uranian. However, her expression hardened again.

"I know, but… it's just…" she closed her eyes shut for a brief moment and shook her head.

"You are not a Klingon or a Saiyan," the Doctor pleaded. "The only thing you can do is stay alive and let Piccolo and the others handle this! They are the ones that have been training for years to… "

"No…"

"SUSAN!" the Doctor exclaimed in frustration, but he received an angry glare.

"I'm tired of running," she hissed in a dark voice. "I'm tired of hiding! I'm tired of fainting! I'M TIRED OF BEING A COWARD!"

With a loud cry, the Uranian suddenly whizzed past 17 and charged at Cell. The bio-android never even saw it coming, until he felt a blow connecting with his face. Not realizing in time who had thrown it, he grabbed Susan's fist and sent her hurtling back in the direction she came from… and colliding with the already severely injured raven-haired android. 17 barely registered what was going on, when the alien girl crashed into him, sending them both skidding several meters across the street. His vision started to blur… did he just hear her scream? Oh well… it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. All he wanted to do was lie down and rest. Maybe he'd take a short nap. Yeah… that didn't sound like such a bad idea…

* * *

Susan opened her eyes and groaned. She had landed on something soft, but had not came out unscratched. Her entire body was hurting, and her left leg was twisted in an angle, that it really was not supposed to be. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it was broken in several places. Wincing in pain and hoping that the world would stop spinning soon, she looked to see what, or rather, who, had broken her fall.

"Oh no… 17! Quick, get back on your feet! You have to fight!"

When she got no response, she started shaking his shoulders.

"Come on, wake up!" she panicked. "Stay with me! Don't go towards the light!"

Unfortunately, the android was out cold and she heard metallic footsteps slowly approaching them. Clenching her fists, she hovered a few inches above the ground, her broken leg dangling limp next to the other one. She whirled around and moved protectively in front of the fallen android.

"Stay. Away. From. Him," Susan growled threateningly, baring her teeth and narrowing her gaze in pure hatred.

Cell was slightly taken aback by her unusual violent attitude. At first, he had feared that he had accidentally killed the girl. Instead, she was still alive, but…well… not really standing. This did not seem to bother her, though. He knew her species could only handle very little stress, so he was quite surprised that she had not passed out. Then again, Mirai Lara seemed less prone to fainting than her younger counterpart. Perhaps it was possible for them to build up some sort of tolerance? He made a mental note to remember this uncharacteristic behaviour: perhaps it could later provide some insight into what made his pink-haired nemesis tick.

An angry hiss came from the blue-haired Uranian. There was a kind of fire in her eyes that he recalled seeing before in some of the humans he had absorbed: two nurses in a hospital, trying to draw his attention away from a disabled patient. A teacher at school, desperately begging him to spare her students. A man in an amusement park, jumping in front of his pregnant wife. Suddenly it dawned on him why Susan was so set on protecting the android.

'Oh, this is rich,' he snickered to himself, but then realised that this could be a problem. The girl posed no threat to him, but if she kept getting in his way, he would risk further injuring her. The alien might even annoy him to the point, where he would accidentally destroy her out of frustration. Don't get the wrong idea though, he would gladly dispose off the blue-haired nuisance.

The problem was her younger sister, from the future. He had struck a deal with the woman to let the girl live, in exchange for her life in two weeks. Honour was not a part of his original programming, but something told him that the woman would not hesitate to kill herself if he did not keep his end of the agreement. He could easily catch her off guard and absorb her memories, but it would be much more fun to try and get Mirai Lara to spill her secrets voluntarily. Playing mind games with his victims was something he had always found to be very entertaining.

Question was: how much longer was it going to take before the girl would leave? He couldn't just sneak past her and grab the android. Cell had the speed advantage during a chase, but due to his current bulky form, his reflexes were no match for the those of an Uranian at close range. He had seen how hormones could affect humans, and if her species was anything like them, she might do something stupid as jumping in front of his tail. However, if the little wench would not move aside soon, he might take the risk anyway. Every single minute he had to live with these imperfections, was an agonizing and almost unbearable one. If he didn't reach his perfect form soon, Cell was sure he would go insane!

"Listen up you creep," Susan suddenly snapped. "If you think you can just waltz over here and absorb that android, you got another thing coming!"

"Oh really? What are you going to do about it, my dear?" he said as intimidating as he could.

"Well, I might not be stronger than you… or faster… or smarter…or…" her voice trailed off and a flat uh-oh expression appeared on her face.

"I don't have time for this, you insolent little pest," Cell glared coldly. "Get out of my way now, and I might let you live"

Susan blinked and scratched her head.

"Let me get this straight…" she started suspiciously, "first you chase me and my sister through an entire city, a hotel, Capsule Corporation, the city again… and now I just get run along and be on my merry way? I'm not buying it…"

'She doesn't believe me? Apparently, absorbing one android was already enough to shield me from her senses,' Cell realized.

"There is absolutely no way you could defeat me," he sneered. "I suggest you leave before I change my mind"

"And I suggest you make me, you sorry excuse for a science project!" the Uranian retorted bravely, but he could see her entire body shaking from fear. The girl was on the verge of hysterics, and he just needed to give her one last push…

His lips curled into an evil smile as he slowly formed a ki-blast at the tip of his finger. Grinning wickedly, he pointed it at the lonely person that was standing a few feet behind the alien and laughed as he shot the small orb of energy at the Doctor's heart… or rather, where his heart was supposed to be.

"How rude," the doctor cocked an eyebrow when the attack went right through him.

"How… is that possible…?"

"I am a hologram"

"Is that so?" Cell mocked, amused by the irritated response he had received.

"Yes, and I would appreciate it if you androids would stop using me for target practise," the hologram said, now clearly annoyed. "I am a doctor, not a game of hit-the-bull's-eye-and-win-a-prize!"

He walked forward and stood next to Susan, sending the bio-android the best death-glare he could muster.

"Hey Doc," Susan whispered nervously, "Got any cool kung-fu subroutines?"

"Afraid not," he answered grimly.

"Are you two done babbling yet?" Cell asked.

"Why don't you just take a hike!" the Uranian spat. "You're probably the strongest being on the planet already, so why do you still want 17 anyway?"

"Who says he's the only one I'm after?" Cell chuckled darkly. He didn't intent to touch her, but without her senses to guide her, the girl had no way of knowing this for sure…

"Y-you're bluffing!" Susan stated, but as expected, she didn't sound very convinced anymore.

"Why would I do such a thing, hmm?" he cooed, taking a step forward. The alien looked like she was about to back off, but stopped herself at the last moment.

"Because you're obsessed with becoming complete and you certainly wouldn't let an 'insignificant pest' like me stand in your way, unless you had some kind of bigger plan," she blurted out.

"You're treading on dangerous grounds, girl," Cell growled in a low tone. "Do not try my patience!"

Susan was visibly hesitating. She glanced at the sky above her and thought about how good it would feel to just fly away and forget everything that had happened… or was very likely to happen if she choose to fight. Her gaze then shifted to the raven-haired android. They had only know each other for short while and during that time, he had not exactly been 'Prince Charming'. She had seen Hirogen hunters with better social skills than this guy! Then again, it wasn't his fault that Gero had wiped his memory and transformed him into a killing machine. Besides that, he had never tried to kill her. Threatening, he did plenty, but he had never really intended to actually go through with it. Since he was supposed to be a merciless android, didn't this count for something? Perhaps if they only had a little more time…

Her view turned to Krillin. The small warrior had known the entire time that he didn't stand a chance, but he had still tried everything in his power to defend 18. She understood the Doctor's concerns perfectly: he was a healer and not a fighter. Neither was she, but sometimes… simply staying alive was just not good enough.

Susan balled her fists and crouched into a fighting stance.

"Last chance," Cell warned as he dramatically prepared a ki-blast in the palm of his hand. Susan desperately wanted to curl up into a ball and become invisible. However, she would not turn away. Not now. Fighting back her fear, she looked the bio-android straight in the eyes.

"Bite me!"

* * *

The Borg Queen paced frustrated around her lair. WHY couldn't they get near that planet? WHY couldn't they adapt to the shield? And most importantly: WHY had Goku's friends not attacked them yet? She had been counting on it! They had cloaking that shielded them from any radars (no need to make those humans aware of their presence yet), but the Queen knew from Goku's memories, that Bulma Briefs had much more advanced technology at her disposal. She had been certain that, once they had been discovered, the woman would warn her warrior friends and send them out to investigate. Then, the Queen would assimilate them and build an army of super drones. Yes, the collective would suffer many losses before they could adapt to their energy signal, but it would be well worth it in the end.

Instead, all of the so-called "Z-fighters" had apparently chosen to stay on the planet surface, within the safety of the shield. It looked like they were somehow always one step ahead, and she wanted to know why.

Suddenly, the sinister woman stopped pacing and a satisfied smile crept on her face. One of her vessels had just alerted her to the fact that they had arrived at their desired destination. It had been a long search, but she had finally found the elusive coordinates. With an almost wicked grin, she looked at the view screen that displayed the luscious green surface of Planet New Namek.

It would not be much longer now…

* * *

**A/N:** The Doctor was supposed to play a main role in this chapter, but I changed it at the last minute. He'll have a bigger part soon, though! The story is far from coming to an end, and there will be many more plot twists, evil cliffys and a couple of… unsuspected guests. 


	40. Hope and Fear, part II

**A/N: **Woot! I finally got this chapter out, and it's even longer than usual! It was very hard because it is an important one and I wanted to make it good. By the way: for the sake of the plot, a wish made to Porunga does not need to be said in Namekian. Remember, this story is AU so I'm using a bit of artistic licence here and there. Don't worry though: I won't turn it into a high school fic ;)

* * *

**Chapter 40: Hope and Fear, part II**

'Almost… got…it… YES!'

Lara proudly looked at the Dragonball she had finally managed to pry out of the giant oyster's shell. It was a good thing Uranians were excellent swimmers! The girl flew out of the lake and headed back to Bulma and Chi Chi, who were guarding the ship. They had landed near an Namekian village, and the village elder had generously offered them to stay. Bulma had told the Nameks what had happened to Goku, and they had allowed the gang to search for the Dragonballs.

"Look what I found!" she shouted with a big grin on her face as she landed in front of the Delta Flyer 2. She had expected the aqua haired scientist to rush outside to see her, but there was no response.

"Hey Lara!"

The Uranian looked up and saw Tien, Yamcha and Chiaotzu hovering in the air. They landed next to her and displayed their 'catch': five Dragonballs in total.

"Cool!" she exclaimed at the sight. "Now we just have to wait for Gohan to bring back the last one!"

"GUYS! GUYS!"

Startled, they turned to the entrance of the ship, where an almost hysterical Chi Chi was flailing her arms.

"Don't just stand there!" she yelled. "Come here, you have to see this!"

She rushed back inside the ship were Bulma was franticly typing away on a console. Suddenly, an image of the milky way appeared on the view screen. Thousands of dots were scattered across four quadrants, all seeming to mark important planets or areas.

"I finally managed to break into Mirai Lara's logs," the scientist said. "Guess what? They aren't logs at all! They're all image files! Maps from her dimension, to be precise!"

"So, what's the big deal?" Lara asked, scratching her head. "That one just looks like an ordinary star chart to me"

Bulma's expression turned unusually grim.

"I'm getting to that. First, take a better look at the chart," she pointed at the dots. "Almost all of them are yellow, except those," she now pointed at a small cluster of green dots in the Delta Quadrant.

"That's Malon territory," Lara observed.

"You mean it WAS Malon territory," Bulma stated. She opened up another file in a new window next to the map. It looked like a legend, explaining the meaning of various symbols and colors.

"It looks like the yellow ones are normal planets…" Tien stated, then gasped slightly as he read the description next to the green dot:

ASSIMILATED.

"That… that can't be right," Lara stuttered. Last time we saw them was only a few days before me and Susan left Voyager, and they were still busy dumping their garbage into other people's backyards like they didn't have a care in the world!

"You're forgetting she's from the future," Chi Chi remarked. "Look at the date!"

"June 4, 2377… but that's only a month from now, in my dimension at least!"

"You haven't seen anything yet," Bulma continued. She pressed another button and now the map was slowly changing, as was the date. More and more dot's turned green as the days passed by. The Hirogen planets started to turn green as well, and the Vidiian territory soon followed. Slowly, planets in other quadrants started to change color as well. When Bulma stopped the animation, almost all of the Delta Quadrant was assimilated, along with a large portion of the Alpha, Beta and Gamma Quadrant. The date now read: "March 26, 2384"

"The did that in just seven years?" Lara gasped. She looked very pale, and was beginning to lose the feeling in her legs.

"It… gets worse…" Bulma sighed as she started the animation again. This time, something that looked like a red cloud appeared in the Delta quadrant. It rapidly started to grow in size and spread across the chart, swallowing Borg and non-Borg territory alike. The gang glanced at the legend again, and their expressions turned into ones of complete and utter horror when the read the description:

DESTROYED.

"Oh, Kami…" Lara whispered as the entire map started to change color, filling the ship with an eerie red glow. They noticed that every now and then some of the dots turned yellow again, but it never lasted very long.

"That must be when the Q tried to restore the planets," she noted sadly.

After a few minutes the animation finally ended, and the blood red cloud now covered about 98 percent of the star chart. The date read: July 20, 2407.

"Thirty years… trying to survive in that mess… no wonder Mirai Lara lost her marbles!" Yamcha said, then quickly turned to present Lara. "Err… no offence"

The girl had no chance to react, as the ship's ear deafening alarm suddenly went off.

"Warning, alien vessel approaching," a monotone computer sounded.

"On screen!" Bulma yelled above the noise.

The group looked at the view screen in curiosity.

"What's that?" Chiaotzu asked, glancing over Tien's shoulder.

"It's huge! Even bigger than Frieza's vessel used to be," Tien said in awe.

"Hey Lara," Bulma turned around to face the Uranian behind her, "You have any idea who…"

The scientist stopped talking when she noticed that the girl was frozen in fear, her light pink eyes glued to the view screen.

"Lara? Are you…"

"Hey, I think they're hailing us," Chi Chi interrupted.

"Open a channel"

Chi Chi nodded and proceeded to so, having learned very fast how to operate the futuristic looking consoles. When Gohan was born, she had decided to familiarise herself with computers and other forms of technology as soon as possible. She wasn't a "techno geek" like her aqua-haired friend, but she wanted to make sure she would be able to help Gohan with his studies when he was old enough. It now appeared that he was not the only one who was reaping the benefits of his mother's quest for knowledge.

"Channel open, Bulma!"

The woman cleared her throat and started speaking.

"This is Captain Briefs, of the U.S.S Delta Flyer 2, why are.."

Before she could finish, the self-proclaimed Captain was cut off by a ominous chorus of voices speaking as one:

_"We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service ours. Resistance is futile."_

The channel was closed and a series of loud explosions could be heard outside.

"Oh Kami... they found us..." Lara whispered, her face white as a sheet.

"And they're already attacking!" Yamcha yelled. "We got to stop them!"

Another explosion cause the ground to shake. Chi Chi suddenly shrieked and hysterically started flailing her arms.

"MY POOR GOHAN IS STILL OUT THERE!"

"Oh man!" Lara snapped out of her shock. "We have to get him before the Borg do!"

"Take it easy Lara," Yamcha said. "Gohan's a strong kid, he'll..."

"How about speed? or stamina?" her expression turned grim, and for a moment he thought he was looking in the eyes of her future counterpart. A shiver ran down his back. "Because once he has fired two or three shots, they will adapt to his ki and it will be like shooting blanks!"

"Dammit! Does that mean we can't fight them at all?!" Tien clenched his fist.

"They can't adapt to a good old-fashioned punch in the face, but engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a Borg drone is about the stupidest thing you can do," Lara said. "You might as well wear a big 'I heart nanoprobes' sign on your back!"

"Well, we have to do something!" Yamcha said, his face suddenly drained of color. "Gohan's powerlevel just went through the roof!"

"That means he's fighting them, doesn't it?"

Chi Chi promptly fainted.

"That's it, I'm going to..."

Suddenly, they heard someone banging on the door.

"It's the Borg!" Bulma shrieked.

"Borg don't knock," Lara frowned and opened the door. Her face brightened when she saw who was standing outside. "Elder Moori! You're alright!"

The Namek nodded grimly.

"Yes, but I wish I could say the same for my people. These so-called 'Borg' are attacking our villages! Our warriors are doing everything they can to stop them, but we are fighting a losing battle"

"Have you seen Gohan?" Yamcha asked.

"He has stayed behind to hold them off, so we could escape and give you this"

Moori held out a shiny round object: the last Dragonball.

"AWESOME!" Lara exclaimed. "Now we can make our wish and... wait a minute, did you say 'we'?"

Only now did they notice a small figure that was hiding behind the older Namek's back. Moori smiled and stepped aside.

"This is Dende, he will assist you summoning the dragon. Dende, say hello to Gohan's friends"

"Uhm... hi, pleased to meet you," the young Namek said shyly.

"Let's skip the pleasantries," Lara snapped.

"Lara!" Bulma chided.

"Look, I don't want to be rude, but I can sense a HUGE evil force and it's heading our way! It's... it's making me feel aggressive!"

"Don't do anything stupid, try to lock it out!"

"Can't... there's so many of them... so confusing...I can't concentrate!"

Dende flew up until he was at eyelevel with Lara

"Maybe I can help," he said as he placed his small hands on her temples. He closed his eyes and both of them started glowing.

"Eh?" Lara blinked. "I feel better, what did you do?"

Dende was about to answer when they suddenly heard someone screaming. A few seconds later, Gohan came crashing down, creating a rather large crater in the process.

"GOHAN!" They all exclaimed.

"I'm sorry..." He groaned while Yamcha and Tien pulled him out, "I couldn't hold them off any longer..."

"What happened?!" Lara panicked, glancing at the large hole in the ground. "The Borg have enhanced strength, but this is ridiculous!"

As if on cue, the answer to her question appeared on the horizon: Nameks, hundreds, no, thousands of them were slowly trudging along. Instead of green, their skins were now a sickly shade of grey. One of the charged a ki-blast and hurled it at the Flyer. Tien quickly swatted it away before it had a chance to destroy their only way home.

"Oh man, this looks bad!" Yamcha growled. " What do we do?"

In the mean time, Dende had finished healing Gohan. He blinked and smiled when he saw that his friend was alright.

"We don't have a moment to loose," Moori stated grimly. "Dende, summon the dragon and let Bulma and Lara make their wish. The rest of us will have to try and buy them as much time as possible"

"Right," they nodded and flew off.

"Good luck!" Lara yelled after them and sighed. "Man, I wish I could fight... or at least throw something at those creeps..."

Bulma arranged the Dragonballs in a circle. For some reason, Lara suddenly got very nervous. What if it didn't work? Seven magical balls that could bring forth a giant dragon who had the ability to grant your every wish? It began to sound more and more ridiculous every time she thought about it. Oh great... what had she gotten herself into?!

"Arise, Porunga!" she heard Dende shouting. Real or not, she hoped that dragon would hurry up; the assimilated Nameks were getting awfully close! They did not have their Borg armour installed yet, which meant they could not adapt. Unfortunately, the Z-warriors were greatly outnumbered. For every Namek they took down, another twenty seemed to pop up out of nowhere. She saw Chiaotzu's eyes starting to glow and large ki-blast suddenly appeared and exploded, taking at least 300 drones with it. The small emperor looked satisfied, but his smile quickly faded when others appeared to take their place. They couldn't hold them off forever, there were just too many...

A flash of light grabbed Lara's attention. She whirled around and her jaw dropped at what she saw.

"You may make three wishes," the humongous dragon boomed, it's eyes glowing red for a second.

"Uhm...erm...eh... what are we going to wish for first?" Lara stammered, hiding behind Bulma. She couldn't help it; that thing was huge!

"Let's wish the Borg back to where they came from!"

"But that would affect the Nameks and Voyager!"

"Then we should first wish them back to normal and THEN wish the Borg back to their dimension and…. wait, I have an even better idea!" Bulma smirked. "The Borg used to be normal people, right? Why not wish ALL of them back?"

She turned to Porunga and dramatically raised her hands.

"We wish for the Borg to return to who they used to be!"

"Your wish can not be granted," the dragon boomed. "My power does not reach beyond the bounds of this dimension"

"Uhm... then I wish you will become super powerful!" Lara tried. The dragon did not even respond, but just rolled his eyes.

"What?! It was worth a shot!"

"Hey, hurry up back there!" Yamcha shouted, while trying to stay away from the hundreds of grey hands that were clawing at him. He powered up an attack and managed to blast off their arms. Unfortunately, they grew back only minutes later. One of the severed limbs, however, landed at Lara's feet and her eyes widened when she saw what had sprouted out of their hands.

"Assimilation tubes?!" she shrieked. "I thought those had to be installed manually!"

"What does that mean?" Bulma asked.

"It means we're seriously screwed! YAMCHA! TIEN! CHIAOTZU! GOHAN! MOORI! DON'T LET THEM TOUCH YOU!!!"

"Make your wish now!" Porunga bellowed impatiently.

"I wish Goku was here!" the blue haired scientist panicked. "He would know what to do!"

"BULMA! NO!" Everyone yelled, but it was too late.

"Your wish has been granted," the dragon boomed as his eyes glowed red.

"Nice going, 'Captain Briefs'!" Lara muttered sarcastically.

"Wait a minute, I don't see him anywhere!" she tried to defend herself. "Maybe the dragon messed up and we don't have to worry about..."

A loud explosion immediately crushed her hopes. Dust clouded the battlefield, making everyone cough and wheeze for air.

"DAD!"

Gohan prepared to make a mad dash, but Tien grabbed him just in time.

"Let me go!" the young Saiyan yelled, struggling to get free.

"Gohan! That's not your dad!" Tien yelled

"But...but..."

They all looked at their former friend. His skin had a greyish tint. His eyes were still black, but there was no more life in them. Parts of his body were covered with cybernetic implants and even his ki had an eerie feel to it. The only thing that had remained untouched was his hair: apparently not even the Borg had been able to alter that particular feature.

"No... DAD!"

The boy charged but was batted away by the older Saiyan.

"I am Kakarot of Borg," his former father announced. "Surrender immediately, resistance is futile"

His gaze rested on the Dragonballs and the message was clear. The warrior dove down, but Yamcha kicked him in the neck and send him flying. Goku crashed into the ground, but hardly seemed fazed. Instead, he got up and tried again while the others fought to keep him away from the dragon.

"Make your second wish!" Porunga boomed.

"Uhm…eh... We wish the U.S.S. Voyager and it's crew back to normal!" Lara squeaked, nervously eyeing the approaching drones.

The dragon's eyes glowed red again.

"Your wish has been granted"

Lara blinked.

"It has? But I don't see them anywhere! Why haven't they beamed us up yet and why is Goku still a drone?"

"You idiot!" Bulma screeched. "Their vessel was orbiting the Earth when the Borg attacked, you forgot to ask the dragon to send them here!"

"And what about cyberSaiyan over there?! He was on Voyager, why hasn't he been..."

"You only wished their crew back, not everyone who was present on the ship!"

"Don't look at me like that, you're the one who wished him over here, remember?"

"LOOK OUT!" Dende suddenly shouted

They both looked op and screamed. Goku had managed to get past the Z-warriors and was now heading straight at them! Lara wanted to fly away, but couldn't move: both she and Bulma were like deer caught in the headlights.

Goku extended his right arm, preparing to plunge his assimilation tubes in their necks, but a green blur suddenly shot in front of them.

Time almost seemed to slow down to a complete halt. Everyone looked in horror at Moori, who was groaning in pain. The elder Namek had jumped in front of the two women and shielded them from Goku's assault. The price he paid, however, was high.

Very high.

"Moori... why?!"

"Lara is too fast... faster than any of us... everything would be over if..." he collapsed on the ground. His Namekian ability to regenerate seemed to somehow slow down the nanoprobes. However, he was not completely immune.

"Guys..." Chiaotzu said. "The Dragon...!"

They all turned to Porunga, who looked rather ill. Suddenly, his eyes turned black and smoke poured out of their sockets. Slowly, the dragon dissolved into a black fog.

"Return to Earth," Moori coughed. "Take Dende with you, he will be your new guardian and create new Dragonballs"

"Elder..." Dende sobbed. He new his healing powers would do little against a technological threat. He could heal wounds, but not destroy nanoprobes.

Moori smiled and fell unconscious, his skin already becoming grey. The Dragonballs turned to stone, their color and shine lost. However, there was no time to mourn. Void of emotions, Kakarot of Borg prepared to launch another attack. The Queen was obviously mad at the loss of the Dragonballs and was now taking it out on them, through their former friend.

"EEEEEEK!" Bulma screamed, but this time, Lara managed to act. She grabbed the scientist and dodged the Saiyan warrior. She was indeed much faster, but Goku had the strength advantage: if he somehow managed to grab her, she would have absolutely zero chance of getting free.

"Dad, stop it!" Gohan yelled. "This isn't you! Don't let them do this, fight it!!!"

He barely dodged his fathers attacks.

"Gohan, kill him!"

"WHAT?!"

"Trust me," Lara said, "There are worse things than dying and we can wish him back once Dende has made new Dragonballs!"

"She's right Gohan," Yamcha agreed. "I don't want to hurt him either, but he'll never let us leave the planet. You know your dad wouldn't want to spend his life as a drone of be forced to hurt us"

"But...but... I can't! I can't do it!"

"Listen Gohan!" Tien said. "Goku would want you to fight back, he would not want to see his son turned into one of them!"

"NO! I WONT LET ANYONE HURT MY DAD!"

"GOHAN!"

The demi-Saiyan didn't listen. He ran towards his father, but he suddenly disappeared. Gohan stopped and looked around, wondering where he went.

"Daddy? Where did you... ACK!"

Before they knew what was going on, Goku appeared again and trapped his son in a headlock. Gohan struggled and kicked wildly, but the older Saiyan's grip was just too strong. Just when everyone thought it was over, a familiar voice suddenly echoed throughout the battlefield.

"STOP!!!"

Goku seemed to freeze on the spot. Everyone turned in the direction of the voice.

"M...Mom..." Gohan gasped weakly when he saw his mother standing in the doorway of the Flyer. There was something about her that just... made you feel warm and safe.

'Just like the Captain,' flashed through Lara's mind.

"Goku, put our son down," Chi Chi said in a friendly, but pressing tone. To everyone's surprise, the Saiyan hesitated. Instead of ignoring her like a normal drone would do, the woman seemed to catch his attention.

"Goku, I know you!" she pleaded, "You would never hurt your friends... or your family," she added hoarsely.

"You...you will be..." the drone stammered, but something had changed in his eyes. Trembling, he finally dropped his son, who started gasping for air.

"That's it Goku, you can do it! Fight them for your son... for me...!"

Kakkarot of Borg was shaking like a leaf. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and he suddenly clenched his eyes shut and groaned.

"We...I...us..." he whimpered.

'Unbelievable... she might actually pull it off!" Lara thought with spark of hope.

"Don't give up, you can beat them! I know you can!"

"I am Kakkarot of Borg..." he growled. "Your culture will adapt to...to service..."

"You're Goku of Earth, a good friend, a loyal husband and a loving father!" Chi Chi retorted.

"Someone hand me a bucket," Lara mumbled under her breath, but still felt relieved. Mushy or not, if it worked she was not going to complain!

Goku suddenly cried out and fell down on his knees, hunching forward and holding his head. He kept sitting there, curled up and sobbing like a small child.

"Shhhh..." Chi Chi soothed while sitting down in front of her husband and holding him tightly. Goku stiffened for a moment, but returned the embrace, crying in her shoulder. "It's going to be alright..." she kept comforting him, "we can go home now... everything will be okay"

Everyone stared in awe at the couple. She did it... she had broken the control of the collective... They all felt an entirely new level of respect for the woman.

"Wow mom..." Gohan chuckled weakly. "I can't believe you-"

He stopped talking and everything seemed to freeze. Chi Chi gasped when she suddenly felt her husband's hold grow tighter.

"G-Goku?"

The Saiyans eyes snapped open, his face void of emotion.

"Resistance is futile," Kakarot of Borg spoke in a cold voice as he injected the dreaded nanoprobes into her bloodstream…

* * *

**A/N:** Bet you thought Chi Chi saved the day, huh? Guess again! What will happen next? Stay tuned! 


	41. Hope and Fear, part III

**A/N **Yes, Christmas is the time of year miracles happen! I updated once again! Well… it's not Christmas yet, but who's counting? Happy holidays!

* * *

**Hope and Fear, part III**

"G-Goku?"

The Saiyans eyes snapped open, his face void of emotion.

"Resistance is futile," Kakkarot of Borg spoke in a cold voice as he injected the dreaded nanoprobes into her bloodstream…

"No…" Gohan whispered hoarsely.

Chi Chi's eyes widened for a second, then closed as she fell limp in Goku's arms.

"No…" the young Saiyan croaked again, his voice trembling.

Her skin turned a sickly pale as the nanoprobes took over more and more blood cells….

"No…"

Implants started to sprout on her face…

"No…"

The woman opened her eyes again, but they were no longer warm and loving. She did not remember her son, or anyone else. Chi Chi was gone and only the collective remained.

"No… no… no…"

"She was so close…" Lara stammered, fear evident in her voice. "But they still won…"

_They won…_

Those words kept repeating themselves in his head.

_They won…_

'I failed everyone…'

_They won…_

'Father…'

_They won…_

'Mother…'

_They won…_

'My friends…'

_They won…_

'I couldn't protect them…'

His parents looked at him, no trace of recognition in their eyes. They advanced towards him, their hands reaching out. And then… something snapped.

Gohan looked at the heavens and roared. Energy crackled around the young boy's body as his hair stood up and slowly turned gold. A few seconds later, he roared again and his eyes changed from charcoal black to emerald green.

Gohan's gaze narrowed as he struck his father with a devastating blow to the head. The older Saiyan backed away, no emotion on his face. He prepared to attack, but Gohan beat him to it again, his new SuperSaiyan power allowing him to reach incredible speeds. Another blow to the head. And another. And another. Chichi tried to lunge at the boy, but Tien quickly knocked her out cold. In the mean time, the Nameks were still approaching in vast numbers. Lara yelped as one of them hurled a rather large ki-blast at her.

Fortunately, it missed the girl.

Unfortunately, it hit the Flyer.

"AAAAAAAAAAHH!!!" they all cried in unison.

"Bulma, can you fix it? Please tell us you can fix it!" Yamcha panicked.

The scientist looked rather pale, which probably meant the answer was no. Not really a surprise, since the ship had been reduced to a pile of charred hull plates and something that vaguely resembled a console. Then again, it could also have been the replicator: no one could really tell. A cry for help suddenly came from Dende, who was grabbed by the assimilated Moori. Lara grabbed a rock and threw it at the Elder Namek, hitting him right between the eyes. Dende got out of his hold and rushed behind the others for safety.

They looked at Gohan, who was pummelling his dad into the ground. Kakkarot of Borg put up a good fight, but after a few more hits finally slipped into unconsciousness. Gohan looked down on the fallen Saiyan and a single tear rolled down his cheek. Then, the boy slumped down and dropped out of SuperSaiyan. A shriek from Bulma suddenly startled the Z fighters. In a bright flash of green, hundreds, no… thousands of Borg had transported to the surface. These drones were fully equipped and thus able to adapt to their attacks. Apparently, the Queen had grown nervous due to Goku's unsuspected defeat, and was not going to take anymore chances.

"Oh Kami…" Lara whispered, trembling from head to toe. "There's no way out! We're trapped!"

Everyone else kept fighting as best as they could, but their attacks grew useless after only one or two hits. Soon, there was nothing else they could do than attack the Borg with their bare hands. Of course, they were fighting a losing battle. It would not be long before one of the drones could manage to inject their assimilation tubes into their necks. Lara saw a couple of Nameks and one Hirogen drone heading straight for her, arms reaching out to trap her in their fatal embrace. The Uranian was glued to the ground, frozen in fear. They were very close now, only a few millimetres from her face. Just when she thought it was over, a blue light engulfed her…

… and she landed flat on her butt on a transporter pad.

* * *

"Bite me!"

Susan glared defiantly at the android, trying to ignore the pain in her leg. Yeah... things weren't looking good for them. With 16 most likely destroyed, Krillin down for the count and the Doctor being… well, the Doctor, it was up to her to save the universe. At least, that's what she kept telling herself. Deep down she knew that being able to play the hero wasn't the real reason she had set up camp in Suicide City. That had been her heart's decision, not that of her common sense.

Cell was getting rather peeved, to say at least. He had create an energy ball the size of a minivan and aimed it straight at the alien girl. The size was merely for show, the attack did not hold much power and was only meant to knock her out. He still had some trouble controlling his power, but the little wench had refused to move so far. It a shame if it killed her and thus caused him to break his end of the agreement, but the android was out of ideas: he would just have to risk it.

"You're still going to protect that inferior model?" he asked one last time with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Susan did not say anything, but just kept glaring daggers at him.

"Very well, have it your way then."

Cell growled and was about to flung the ki-blast at the trembling girl, when…. time suddenly seemed to stop.

A white gloved fist made contact with the android's jaw and send him skidding across the street. A voice laughed when Cell wildly looked left and right in search of his attacker.

"Over here, you stupid machine"

The bio-android looked up in the direction of the voice… and came eye to eye with a rather smug looking Saiyan prince …


	42. The Doctor’s last stand

**A/N:** I'm back, in black! Well… red actually, for some reason that colour suits me.

(everyone stares at the authoress)

…Right, never mind. Enjoy the latest chapter and a big thank you to all my loyal reviewers! I really appreciate you guys for motivating me and giving me feedback! I promise the next chapter will be up very soon!

By the way, if you like this fic and are interested in fan art and a rather silly character quiz (yes, I'm obsessed), why not stop by my deviant art page? You can find the link in my profile.

* * *

**Chapter 42: The Doctor's last stand**

"V-Vegeta?" Cell blinked.

"That's my name," the Saiyan prince smirked. "Don't wear it out"

Cell smirked too.

"Don't tell me you plan to risk your life to save that girl and the android?"

Susan looked at Vegeta hopefully, willing him to say yes.

"Hell no!"

Susan fell over.

"I couldn't care less about that brat or her boyfriend, I'm just here to wipe that ugly face of yours off the face of the Earth"

"He's not my boyfriend!"

Vegeta grinned. It wasn't just any grin that appeared on his face: it was the particularly evil Saiyan Prince Grin of Death.

"Oh really? Then why are you blushing?"

"Er...ah... it's a Uranian thing!"

"Susan!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I can't believe you're infatuated with..."

"Hey, what is this? Let's embarrass Susan day?! Who's side are you on?"

"The side that says we should leave!"

"I don't believe this! What happened to the Hippocratic oath? You know, do no harm!?"

"What are you talking about? I'm suggesting escape, not homicide!"

"17 is defenceless! Once Vegeta gets his royal butt kicked, he'll be next! I'm not leaving him just to save my own skin!"

The Saiyan huffed.

"Girl, you're obviously suffering from more than just a broken leg if you think that overgrown frog has even the slightest chance of defeating me"

"You're a confident one, aren't you, Vegeta?" Cell chuckled. "Really now: according to 18's memory, she had no trouble beating you into the ground. I absorbed her with ease, adding her power to my own. What makes you think you can make it out of here alive, let alone destroy me?"

"Why, that's a good question, Cell," Vegeta smirked. "Allow me to demonstrate"

Without warning, the Saiyan prince charged at the android and delivered a devastating blow to his head. Cell whirled around, trying to keep his balance. In a blur, Vegeta appeared in front of him and kicked him in the stomach. Cell doubled over, receiving blow after blow. He managed to jump away and punch Vegeta in the face. The android laughed, but his victorious expression faded when he noticed the prince had not moved at all. Before he knew it, he was grabbed by his tail and send crashing into a building. Vegeta lazily floated over to the rubble.

"Oh, Ceeeeeeeeeeeell? Come out, come out, wherever you are"

He scanned the debris for any movement and raised an eyebrow when he saw none.

"Come on, don't tell me that was all you got? What a waste of ti..."

Suddenly, the rubble exploded beneath him, taking the Saiyan by surprise. A bit disorientated, Vegeta flew up and tried to regain his bearings but found himself trapped in a bear hug.

"Got you now," Cell grinned darkly behind him, aiming his tail at Vegeta's chest.

"You may have me, but the question is," the prince smirked, "can you keep me?"

With a roar he powered up, his aura pushing Cell away. He whirled around and grabbed the android's arms... and ripped them off.

"You definitely got some of Frieza's cells in that body of yours," he stated while Cell screamed in agony. "Only a coward like him would try to sneak up on his opponent from behind like that"

"You insolent pest!" Cell roared. "You'll pay dearly for that!"

"Oh really, what are you going to do? Kick me? Breathe on me? You're a joke Cell, with or without your arms!"

Cell growled and regenerated his lost limbs. Blinded with rage, he went after the Saiyan prince.

"I think it's time to make a discrete exit," the Doctor whispered to Susan.

"Doc, for the last time, I'm not.."

Susan stopped when she saw the Hologram was trying to lift the android.

"You're right, Susan," he said. "I wanted you to be safe because you and Lara are all I have left from Voyager, but... I can't forget that it's never alright for a doctor to sacrifice one patient to rescue another because of personal reasons"

"Thank you," she hugged him, but winced.

"Ah, my leg!"

"This isn't good, you can't walk around like that!"

"I'll just continue to fly"

"No, you need to save your energy and I can't carry 17 by myself" He looked around and let his gaze rest on an abandoned hovercar.

"I think I have a better idea, get Krillin and..." he suddenly realised the monk was gone.

"What..."

"Over here," a new voice called out. Susan and the Doctor backed away when they saw who was holding Krillin and blocking their way to the car.

"Wow, Trunks... you...eh...changed," Susan gawked at the bulked up Saiyan.

He ignored her and gave Krillin a senzubean. Within seconds, the monk was back to full health.

"Wha...er... what happened?" he stuttered.

"You don't want to know," Susan sighed, glancing at the raging battle between Cell and Vegeta.

"He got her, didn't he?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Hey, it's not your fault... eh? What happened to your leg?"

"I got owned by a certain frogface... and I'm in more than a little pain here"

"Trunks, don't you have anymore senzu left? Give her one already!"

"She's helping the enemy, Krillin!" he objected, glaring at the alien.

"Wait a minute, I'm not the bad guy here!" Susan objected

"Then get out of the way and let me destroy him! I trained over a year for this moment!"

"But he can't even defend himself!"

"He destroyed my world!"

"No Trunks, future 17 did that! This one only destroyed a few cars and maybe a mailbox or two!"

"Why are you so set on saving that android? Even if I let you take him away, he'll kill you the minute he wakes up!"

"I don't think he will," the Doctor defended Susan. "17 made plenty of threats, but if he wanted to kill her, he would've done so by now. Did the androids in your timeline ever spare anyone?"

"They were ruthless monsters," Trunks glared at the unconscious raven-haired boy. "They sometimes pretended to have mercy on you, only to kill you five minutes later when you thought you were home free. It was all just a sick game to them"

"And would they ever save someone's life?" Susan asked softly.

"I don't know," Trunks snapped, but his voice faltered.

"Maybe... maybe these androids are different," Krillin said. "When Cell stabbed me with that tail of his, it was 18 who yanked it out. She saved me from ending up as a pile of empty clothes and without her brother, Susan would be flat as a pancake now"

"Thank you for reminding me, Krillin," the Uranian shuddered at the mental image of the falling building.

"If we lower ourselves to killing someone for revenge for a crime he has yet to commit, that makes us monsters as well," the Doctor said. "What would your mother do?"

"She... she'd give him a second chance, like she did for my dad," he said, hesitation in his voice.

"Don't turn into one of them, Trunks," Susan pleaded. "What the future 17 did is horrible, but this one hasn't killed anyone and he's no longer a threat to you. Please..."

"Listen up... I need to stay here until Cell is destroyed, if 17 wakes up and turns on you... there will be nothing I can do. Are you really willing to take the risk?"

Susan nodded, determination in her eyes. Trunks sighed, muttered something along the lines of "I can't believe I'm doing this" and gave her a senzu. Her leg was healed instantly.

"Alright... take the android and leave... before I change my mind"

"Thank you, Trunks," she kissed him on the cheek and the Saiyan blushed slightly.

"You are not going anywhere!" Cell suddenly bellowed. He was hovering above them, with Vegeta smirking next to him.

"Father, what are you doing?!"

"While you were bickering, Cell made me a rather tempting offer," he said smugly.

"You wouldn't..."

"Oh yes, I would! I'm going to let him absorb the android and in exchange, I will finally get to fight an opponent worthy of witnessing my new found strength. It will be a glorious battle!"

"You're mad!" Trunks exclaimed.

"Don't tell me you're not curious, son," Vegeta grinned. "You're half Saiyan, don't you want to see this amazing power he keeps rambling about? Do you not feel your Saiyan blood boiling? The challenge calling you?"

"No! I've seen power like that all my life! I won't let him become complete, even if that means taking you down!"

Trunks charged, but Vegeta saw it coming and kicked him in the stomach. Cell spotted his chance and dived for the android.

"NO!"

Trunks appeared again and blasted Cell away.

"GO! LEAVE NOW!"

Susan grabbed 17 and made a run for it. She barely took a few steps before Trunks got hit by a big bang attack, launched by a very irritated Saiyan prince.

"You're starting to annoy me, girl!" he snapped.

"Vegeta! Don't do anything stupid!" Krillin yelled.

"Stay out of this, baldy! Or do you have a death wish as well?"

From the corner of her eye, Susan saw Cell slowly trying to get up again.

"Nice weather, huh?" she said to Krillin. Vegeta looked at her confused, but the monk got the idea. He raised his hands to his face.

"SOLARFLARE!"

Vegeta howled, clenching his eyes.

"HOW DARE YOU!" He roared, trying to regain his vision. Susan gulped and prepared to make a mad dash, but the Saiyan prince wasn't about to let her get away. Trunks launched another attack at his father again, but it was too late: in a fit of rage, Vegeta hurled a ki-blast at her and the Uranian froze, paralyzed with fear.

"NO!!!"

It happened in a flash. As the blast was about to hit the girl, the Doctor threw himself at her, shoving her out of harms way. Unfortunately, the attack grazed the only weak spot of the heroic hologram: his mobile emitter...

"DOCTOR!!!"

His image started to flicker.

"Susan..." he croaked, his voice distorted. "I already lost my entire family on Voyager... all of them... I can't lose you too…"

His imaged flickered again and started to fade.

"Doc, it's going to be alright! Lara will wish everyone back, and we can...we can fix your..." she started sobbing.

He reached for her face, but his fingers went right through. He tried to tell her something, but his voice had become so distorted and warped it was impossible to understand what he was saying. He smiled sadly and finally faded into nothingness. His emitter fell to the floor, scorched and with sparks flying out of it. She picked it up and gave it to Krillin.

"Take this to Bulma's father," she whispered hoarsely, fighting back tears.

"But, y-you... the android..."

"Krillin, I can't endanger anyone else. You know you're not strong enough to defeat him. If 17 tries to kill me, you won't be able to protect me for long. I need to do this alone..."

"Well, I guess I would only slow you down anyway huh?" he laughed sheepishly, but fear showed through.

"Are you really sure?"

"Yeah... please, go and save the Doctor, will you do that?"

"You can count on me," he saluted.

"Thanks Krillin, you're a good friend"

The monk gave a nod and took off with the emitter. Susan looked down at 17, and scooped him into her arms. Fortunately, he was surprisingly light: probably Gero's doing.

"Guess it's just you and me now," she sighed sadly as she took off into the air, unaware that the unconscious android...

...was really not that unconscious at all...


	43. Guardian angel

**Chapter 43: Guardian angel**

A blue blur whizzed through the deserted streets of Cinnamon Town, empty clothes billowing in her wake.

"Oh, just peachy," Susan panicked. "What am I going to do!"

"Well, you could start with putting me down"

Susan yelped, when 17 suddenly opened his eyes. Startled, she let him slip out of her arms. The android crashed into the ground, too weak to slow down his descent.

"Sorry!" Susan yelled from above, sweatdropping.

"Get down here, girl!" 17 glared at her, slowly getting up.

"What, do you think I'm stupid? Wait, don't answer that..."

"That thing will detect you!" he shouted.

"Eh, don't worry," she waved his protest away. "I have the powerlevel of a doorknob, we're too far away for him to sense me now"

"Tell me," he started as if talking to a 5-year old, sarcasm dripping of his smooth voice "When he absorbed my sister, did his strength improve?"

"Eh... yes?"

"And his speed improve too, did it not?"

"Don't remind me"

"Then what makes you think his sensing abilities haven't improved as well?!" he exclaimed.

Susan blinked. She hadn't thought about that. Uh oh...

The android suddenly winced.

"Hey... you alright?"

"My internal systems have been damaged. I need downtime so my body can repair itself"

He sweatdropped when he saw the confused look on Susan's face.

"I need to rest"

"Wait a minute..." she suddenly went bug-eyed. "You're going to take a nap? Here? NOW?! What happened to that infinite android energy of yours?"

"My body uses a lot of energy for repairs, in this case I can barely generate enough. If I want to fully recover, I need to save power"

Susan landed on the street, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Why are you telling me this?"

17 looked at her questionly. Susan sighed.

"You just gave away your biggest weakness. What makes you think I won't destroy you while you're down?"

The android blinked, then fell down in a laughing fit.

"Hey! I'm more dangerous than I look, you know!" she said insulted. "So... don't mess with me! I...I mean business, buddy!"

"Girl, even if you somehow gained enough power to kill me, you still wouldn't do it"

"Why not?" she tried to glare at him.

"Because," he smirked at her deviously, "You're...what's it called again... 'infatuated' with me?"

Susan turned red as a beet, her tough girl act falling to pieces.

"A-Am not!" she retorted childishly.

"Don't be like that," he taunted, amusement clearly evident in his voice, "Don't I deserve a second chance?"

Susan turned even redder. Oh Kami... he had heard it!?

"Err...ah...I…uhm..." she stammered, wondering if it was possible to actually die of embarrassment.

"My body was out cold, but my mind was not. And in case you wondering, yes, I heard the whole thing"

This was not happening. This was SO not happening. Someone please tell her he did not just say that!

"Maybe... your hearing is... damaged?"

'Please Kami,' she thought, 'please let him buy it! Please, please, please! I'll never ask for anything again!'

A particularly evil smirk appeared on his face, indicating that he did not doubt his hearing the slightest.

'Fine then, see if I'll ever build YOU a shrine...'

"Eh... we should get going. I don't know if Trunks is able to hold off Cell and the Prince of all Idiots for long"

"Don't change the subject"

"Subject? What subject? Really, we should... EEEEEK!!!"

Susan barely dodged a ki-blast.

"Hey!" she yelled, but her anger turned into fear when she saw the look on his face.

"Let's make one thing clear, you stupid girl," he said in an icy tone. "I am not a character from some kind of trashy romance novel. I am an android, created to be the ultimate killer. And make no mistake, I WILL kill you. I don't know what kind of silly fantasies you got into that head of yours, but I do not feel kindness. I do not feel affection," his face turned extremely dark. "And I most certainly do not feel what you humans call love"

"I am not hu..."

"I couldn't care less what you are," he snapped at her coldly. "Feelings of compassion are nothing but flaws. I am above them"

"Like hell you are..." she whispered.

17's eyes widened slightly at her language.

"Yeah, you heard me," Susan continued, eerily calm. "Like hell you are above those so-called flaws. You could've killed me many times, but yet here I am"

"I merely kept you alive for my amusement"

"You saved me from that falling building!" she protested. "You protected me!"

"A malfunction in my programming," he spat. "Nothing more"

"I...I refuse to believe that," she said softly.

"Believe what you want, you lovesick twit, but you're nothing but a living shield to me. And once you have outlived your usefulness, you will die at my hands"

He had expected her to do a lot of things. Cry, beg, stammering in a daze it wasn't true or perhaps just faint. However, he had not expected rage! The girl's eyes flashed with hurt, which quickly turned to anger.

"O yeah?" she spat at him, "Will that be before, or after Cell has vacuumed you up that tail of his?"

Susan never even saw it coming. he words had barely left her mouth or she was lying out cold on the sidewalk, a nasty bruise forming on the back of her head.

17 looked at her unconscious frame. Dammit, he hadn't meant to use THAT much force. There was something about that girl that made him lose all control. He didn't know what it was. Just looking ate her was enough to release a torrent of confusion in his head. Unknown feelings his mind wasn't able to process. In short, he had panicked.

His enhanced hearing suddenly picked up voices in the distance. There was no doubt who they were.

"Oh, hell!"

He grabbed Susan and rushed inside yet another office building. No way he was going to let that freak absorb her!

NO! HIM! No way he was going to let that freak absorb HIM!

'Dammit... what's wrong with me?!' he thought feverishly. 'How can I be feeling... this?! This shouldn't be happening to me! I WON'T ALLOW IT!'

A soft 'thud' snapped him out of his thoughts. He peeked through the window blinds and saw Cell had landed on the street. There was no sign of Vegeta or future boy. They were probably too busy clobbering each others brains out. Damn monkeys...

Susan woke up and groaned, but 17 covered her mouth just in time. He pointed outside and mouthed "Cell". Susan's eyes widened in fear and she nodded. He let go and she sat up straight, rubbing the back of her head.

"Android!" Cell bellowed, "I know you're around here somewhere! I can sense the girl!"

17 shot Susan a murderous look. Susan just glared back in return. As quietly as she could, she grabbed a pen and a notepad from a desk and started writing. 17 looked at it, utterly confused at the strange symbols. Susan realized her translator could not magically alter her writing and she doubted 17 knew Uranian. She tore of the paper and started scribbling on a new sheet. She handed him the notepad again. 17 looked: it was a drawing this time, of two rather crude stick figures. One was a girl with hair past her shoulders and was flying through the sky (she had even drawn a few clouds). The girl was carrying a boy with chinlenght hair, and little X-s for eyes. A sweatdrop appeared on 17's temple, but he got the message. She had saved him. If it had not been for her, he would've been part of Cell three times by now.

He sighed and looked around for a place to hide. This room had a window: if they stayed here, they would be discovered in no time. He glanced up at the air vents, but quickly dismissed that idea, for obvious reasons. He scratched his head, looking questioning at Susan. Hey, he was open to suggestions, even if they came from her. It wasn't like HE had any brilliant ideas.

The girl pointed at the notebook. He returned it to her and she quickly started drawing. This time, it was a broken heart. Most likely translation: screw you!

17 had to resist the urge to strangle the alien on the spot. He snatched back the notepad, hoping her translator could process written text, and jotted down his response.

"I don't care about you, and I couldn't care less how much you hate me now, but if you want to live for a few more minutes, I suggest you get over it"

Susan hesitantly took the notepad and sighed sadly, nodding slowly in agreement. A few moments of scribbling later, she had drawn two buildings across each other. She pointed at him, then herself, then at one of the buildings. Then, she drew something that looked like a fire alarm and pointed at the other building. The next picture showed Cell looking at the building with little question marks above his head, and them running away in the other direction, laughing and sticking their tongues out. She looked at him hopefully.

"Nice try," he wrote, "but he'll either see me fire the beam, or feel it's heat"

Susan read the note and slapped herself on the forehead.

"Cell!" they suddenly heard Vegeta roar. "Go in there and absorb that android already, or I'll destroy both of you!"

Susan turned incredibly pale. 17 took a mirror out of a purse that had once belonged to one of the female employees and use it to look out the window, but he only saw on Saiyan standing outside. What had happened to the other one? Uh oh...

A crash alerted them. Cell had blown a hole on the wall and was now standing in the room next to theirs. They heard him walking into the hallway and a few moments later, knocking on their door.

17, acting more on instinct than common sense, grabbed Susan's arm and dragged her under a desk which was closed at three sides, the open side facing away from the entrance. A split second later, there was a loud crash and Cell was standing in their room. 17 suddenly felt the girl go limp against his side. She had fainted. No quite sure why, he put an arm around her shoulder. He couldn't help noticing it felt... kind of nice. He heard Cells footsteps coming closer, but instead of screaming his lungs out, he hardly suppressed a yawn. Apparently, his body's repair systems needed more power than he had anticipated. He could no longer generate enough energy to keep non-vital parts of his artificial brain, like his consciousness, running. He desperately tried to fight off the fatigue, but he could already feel darkness closing in on him. His eyelids became heavy and he was only barely aware of his surroundings. He vaguely registered a blue flash and an auburn haired woman telling him in a firm, but friendly voice that everything would be alright. Nodding weakly, he closed his eyes finally drifted off into a deep sleep...

* * *

"What the...?" 17 looked around, but there was nothing but darkness. Was he dead? Did that creep get him?

"Hey, 18! Are you here?"

"Your sister is not with us"

17 whirled around, looking where the female voice had came from.

"Who are you?" he called, not liking being left in the dark one bit. No pun intended.

"My name is of no importance"

"Like hell it isn't," he snapped. "Are you some friend of that girl?"

"You mean Susan? To be honest... we haven't met, but I think we would've gotten along well. Her species is quite talented"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" 17 growled. What was going on here!

"Do you love her?"

17 blinked. He hadn't seen that one coming!

"Well?"

He scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous! I have no use for those petty human emotions"

"Love is anything but human, my friend. It is a powerful emotion, one enjoyed as well as feared by many races across this galaxy and others"

"It is a weakness!"

"Yes, but also a strength"

"That makes no sense"

Even though he couldn't see her, 17 knew the woman was smiling at him.

"Oh, but it does. Love makes us do strange things. It can make you risk your own life, but at the same time, unleash amazing power you never realised you possessed"

"I do not feel love," 17 snapped. "I am an android! I am incapable of caring!"

"You are?"

"Y-yes"

17 felt oddly empty when he said it. Like he had just closed the curtains on the most important window of opportunity of his artificial life. Why?! It made no sense! None of this made any sense!

"Good, then you won't feel bad if I tell you Cell just killed Susan"

17 suddenly felt light headed and even slightly nauseous.

"...huh?" he uttered stupidly.

"Yes, she didn't stand a chance. Poor thing"

He felt the ground crumbling away under his feet. She was gone. Dead. Dead, dead, dead... He felt sick, his chest... his chest was on fire! Oh Kami, no! No! No! No!!! 17 reeled and grabbed his head. Visions of the blue-haired girl kept flashing trough his mind, over and over again. He felt... he felt... regret. Regret for threatening her. Regret for hurting her. Regret for not... protecting her.

17 stared at his hands when realisation dawned on him. He had wanted to protect her. With his own life if he had to. A huge weight fell off his shoulders. Everything fell in place now. Everything that had happened. It made sense. All of it... finally made sense.

"But it's too late..." he whispered, feeling hollow inside. It was like part of him had died as well.

"Too late for what?" the voice asked.

"Too late to..." 17 stopped. He could not say it. He would not say it. He would not admit he was weak!

"You haven't been listening to a word I said, haven't you? Love can be a strength... if you choose it to be"

"What choice do I have? She's gone! GONE!"

"Well..." she giggled, "perhaps I have slightly over exaggerated"

The android blinked.

"...What?!"

"I had to use a little lie to break through that tough shell of yours," she apologized. "But I didn't stray from the truth that far. Unless you act now, she will die. Right now, the two of you are in the middle of a transport. Her ship, Voyager, is trying to beam you two out of harms way"

"And the problem is?"

"Cell wants to become complete, at ALL costs"

"Which means we're both going to get killed, no matter what, is that what you are saying?"

"Not her, just you. Once Cell absorbs you, he will leave Susan alone. At least... he will try," the woman paused for a moment. "I can not reveal to you why, but Cell does not want to kill her. The problem is, he's becoming more and more desperate to get you with every passing minute. The longer it takes... the more trouble he is having to restrain himself. You can both stay on Voyager and wait for him to hunt you down and kill her in the process, or..."

"Or what?" 17 asked, dreading the answer.

"Or... you let me abort your transport"

The android made a face like the voice had just asked him to strip down and wear a sign that said: 'will fart 4 money'.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" he yelled, his eyes bulging out of his head.

"It's the only way"

17 opened his mouth to protest, but the voice cut him off.

"Cell will never let you go. You can keep running, but he will find you eventually and when he finally does, after being driven mad with desire, Susan's chances of survival will be... nonexistent"

"..."

"I will shield your memories. Cell won't learn about this conversation. No one will, unless you want them to"

"..."

"17?"

"..."

"Do you love her?"

"……….yes…"

"So be it," the woman declared.

A pair of slender arms embraced the android. _("Something...something's wrong!")_ Gentle eyes smiled at him, _("We're losing him!")_ a strand of golden blond hair swept past his face. _("Harry! Reroute all auxiliary power to the transporters!")_ Red velvet brushed softly against his skin. _("It's too late Captain, he's gone!")_ Then... _("Oh, God...")_

...everything went black.

* * *

**A/N: **Plottwist frenzy! Just when you thought you had it figured out, _another_ character joins the fray! Very obsessed Voyager fans might already have an inkling about her identity. For those of you who don't, you're going to get another shot later on. She will be showing her face again soon enough... 

**P.S.** Yes, yes... Voyager and the Borg are up next! I was going to write about them now, but I just HAD to get this idea on paper! You know how it goes sometimes (smiles sheepishly)


	44. Back in the game

**A/N:** Woohoo! Longest chapter ever! I broke my old record from chapter 31! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review! Only a few more to go to the one hundred mark! Thank you all for supporting me this far, even if you only reviewed once. I appreciate all of them just as much!

* * *

**Chapter 43: Back in the game**

Lara looked around. No way... it couldn't be...

"Whoa, where are we?" Yamcha groaned behind her while he helped Bulma up.

"Tien, are you okay?" Chiaotzu asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I think. How about you, Dende?"

The young Namek nodded and got up.

They turned around at the chime of the opening doors. An auburn haired woman stepped into the transporter room.

"I am Captain Janeway of the USS Starship Voyager..." she never got the chance to finish her sentence because Lara had tackled her.

"You're back!" she exclaimed. "You're back! You're back! You're..."

"Lara," Bulma said, "I think you're cutting off her air supply"

The Uranian quickly let go.

"Sorry Captain," she said sheepishly. "I just can't believe it worked, I mean Susan and I were on Earth and we tried contacting you and it didn't work and the there was this huge bug-like monster who wanted to..."

"We'll talk later," Captain Janeway cut her off. "Right now the Borg Queen is still out there and I doubt she's going to let us leave that eas..."A huge blast suddenly rocked the ship.

_"Captain!"_ Chakotay called through her combadge.

"I'm on my way!"

Wasting no time, the Captain headed for the bridge, the others followed her to see their attackers ship with their own eyes.

"The queen's vessel is attacking, and we detected three more vessels heading in our direction..." Harry called as they stepped out of the turbolift, "no wait, four vessels... six vessels..." it stayed quit for a minute. "fifteen Borg vessels!" he finished.

"But including the Queen's vessel, there were only four Borg ships in this dimension!" the Captain said, looking grimly at the view screen. "Where did they come from?!"

"Maybe the Queen called for backup?" Bulma suggested. "Those ships must've travelled through the same rift as Voyager and the Delta Flyer"

"No, the rift destabilized and closed shortly after the Queens vessel came through"

"How'd you know?" Lara asked then realised that they had been part of the hive mind. "Oh..."

"They must've assimilated other ships in the region!" Yamcha growled, balling his fist.

"Hey, wait a minute... we can't go back?!" Lara suddenly shrieked.

"We'll worry about that later," Janeway said. "Right now, we got bigger problems"

Another blast struck the ship, sending the crew careening. Captain Janeway winced when a piece of debris cut her hand.

"Report!" the Captain yelled above the noise.

"Shields are down to 60 percent," Tuvok answered.

"Target their weapons array! Return fire!"

The Vulcan entered the commands and a phaser bolt struck the Borg cube. Unfortunately, it didn't do much damage.

"Direct hit captain, but the cube sustained zero damage"

"They've adapted!" Harry Kim stated, worry clearly evident on his face.

"Fire the photon torpedoes!" Janeway shouted. "Hit them with everything we've got!"

"No effect," the Vulcan reported. "Our weapons are unable to penetrate their shields"

_"Paris to Captain!"_

Janeway tapped her combadge.

"What is it Tom?"

_"It's Goku ma'am, he's starting to wake up! I don't know how much longer I can keep him sedated!"_

The Captain visibly paled.

"Can you try to break his connection to the hive mind?"

_"Seven thinks it's possible, but I don't know much about Saiyan physiology, let alone their nerve system. Removing the transceiver might damage his nerves and paralyze him"_

"Captain," Dende called. "I am a healer. I can't remove the technology from his body, but I can undo biological damage"

He held her hand and a glow surrounded them both. A few moments later, the cut on her hand had disappeared. The Captain blinked, but quickly recovered. There was no time to gawk at the little Namek's abilities.

"Proceed, mister Paris," she answered, "I'm sending someone over to sickbay to assist you. Janeway out!"

She beckoned a crewman to guide Dende to the Turbolift and focused her attention back at the matter at hand when the ship suddenly started to shake.

"They caught us in a tractor beam!" Harry panicked. "I can't break us free!"

suddenly, the Turbolift behind them opened and Gohan stepped onto the bridge, followed by Neelix.

"I'm sorry Captain," the Talaxian apologized, "I tried to keep him in sickbay, but he insisted on joining his friends"

"Gohan, you're okay!" Tien said.

"Yeah... I wish I could say the same about mom and dad"

"Don't worry," Neelix assured him, "Tom and Seven know what they are doing, and that little fellow is a huge help. Look what he did for you!"

"Dende healed you?" Yamcha asked.

"Yeah!" Gohan nodded. "I'm feeling totally recharged!"

"I'd hate to break up the reunion," Chakotay called, "but the Borg are about to pull us in! We can't escape their tractor beam!"

"Captain, give me a spacesuit!"

Janeway's eyed widened.

"Gohan, I think I know what you're planning to do and even though I appreciate your efforts, it's too dangerous!"

"If the Borg damage your suit, your survival is very unlikely," Tuvok added.

"But Captain! I have to try!"

"Absolutely not! There are fifteen Borg vessels out there!"

"She's right, Gohan," Tien said. "You might be able to destroy one cube, maybe two, but then they'll adapt!"

"That doesn't matter! If you make it back to Earth, you can wish me back!"

"You're insane!" Lara exclaimed. "Even if you destroy FIVE of their ships, that still leaves us with ten Borg vessels to deal with! Besides that, thanks to your fathers memories, they know what you guys are capable of! Without the element of surprise, they'll destroy your suit before you can even power up!"

"But WITH the element of surprise, it might work," Yamcha mused. "Think about it: Gohan can not destroy fifteen vessels alone, but if we all work together..."

"It's crazy," Harry Kim sighed. "but then again, it's a crazy situation"

"We could distract the Borg and divert their attention away from Gohan and the others," Lara said.

"Well it's all or nothing," the Captain nodded grimly, then tapped her combadge.

"Janeway to Lieutenant Torres!"

_"Torres here, Captain!"_

"Use the Deflector to transmit a negative feedback pulse through their tractor beam!"

_"Alright...sending the pulse... NOW!"_

A shockwave rocked Voyager, sending several crewmen flying.

"We're free, Captain!" Chakotay reported. "But the Borg are charging weapons!"

"Reroute all auxiliary power to the shields!" She turned to Lara. "Get your friends ready!"

"Right," she nodded. "Come on guys, let's get you suited up!"

* * *

"Chiaotzu, are you sure you're going to be okay?" Lara frowned when she saw that his spacesuit was...well...slightly oversized. 

"As long as I can use my hands," he stated, putting his helmet on. The others were already geared up and ready for action.

"Right, let's go! Just follow me!" she said as she headed for the airlock. As they opened the doors, Lara stepped outside again and looked at her friends through a glass wall.

"Ready?" she asked through the intercom. They all gave her a thumbs up. Lara opened the airlock and watched as her friends were sucked out, into space.

"Good luck, you guys," she sighed as she returned to the bridge. She wasn't an officer, but she doubted that Janeway was going to kick her out.

* * *

The Captain watched the men fly in the direction if the Borg armada. She turned to Tuvok. 

"We need to distract them. Fire all weapons!"

The Vulcan entered the commands and unleashed a barrage of phaser blasts and photon torpedoes on the lead vessel. It seemed to work: the Borg charged their weapons and targeted Voyager's shields.

"Shields are down to 40 percent!" Chakotay said.

The Borg vessel prepared to fire again, but suddenly exploded in sea of green light. When the dust cleared, they saw Tien floating amongst the debris. The warrior targeted another vessel and destroyed it. However, when he fired his Kihouhou at a nearby sphere, his attack had no effect.

"Oh no, they've adapted!" Bulma worried.

"His friends haven't used their energy yet, let's wait and see," Janeway ordered while trying to get the attention of the remaining Borg vessels.

Chiaotzu destroyed one sphere before the Borg adapted. Yamcha got three before his Ki signal was analyzed and compensated for. Gohan glared at the remaining ships. Two spheres, six cubes and one diamond shaped vessel. He roared and raised his hands.

"MASENKO-HA!" she shouted as he flung his teacher's attack at the spheres. They were both destroyed almost simultaneously. Smirking, he powered up and wiped three more cubes out of existence.

"Yeah! Go for it Gohan!" everyone cheered. The young Saiyan smiled as he heard his friends encouraging him through the radio in his helmet. Suddenly, the Queen's vessel appeared behind him and opened fire. Gohan barely dodged it. A blast from the remaining three cubes almost scraped his leg, as he leaped away just in time. He had to keep reminding himself that there was no such thing as blocking an attack in this fight. If his suit got even slightly damaged, his precious oxygen would escape into space and end the battle... permanently. The young Saiyan growled as he targeted the diamond shaped vessel and returned fire.

"Special...Beam...CANNON!!!"

Gohan smirked as his sensei's most powerful attack struck it's target, but his happy expression faltered when the dust cleared... and the Queen's vessel emerged undamaged.

"What the... oh no!" Harry gasped.

"They have adapted to his energy!" The Captain exclaimed.

"But there are still four vessels left!" Lara panicked.

"And no more unused fighters to counter them!" Chakotay said.

"And what am I? Chopped liver?"

Everyone whirled around. Goku stepped out of the Turbolift with a wide grin on his face. Lara charged and tackled the Saiyan.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM...!"

"It's alright!" he laughed as he held the thrashing Uranian at distance with only one arm. "I'm no longer one of them! My Saiyan heritage allowed me to recover much faster and of course Dende was a big help!"

"Where's Chi Chi?"

"She fainted when she heard Gohan was in space fighting the Borg," Paris said behind him. "Dende is watching her now, but she'll be alright"

"Good to have you back on the bridge, lieutenant," Janeway smiled.

"Captain, do you have a spacesuit left?" Goku asked with urgency in his voice.

"Goku, the Borg have already adapted to your energy"

"A Saiyan's powerlevel increases after recovering from serious injury. Perhaps my energy signal has changed as well"

"Even if that is the case, it wont have changed much. There's no telling how fast they might adapt again"

"Captain, my son is out there and frankly, you don't have much of a choice"

The Captain frowned at the Saiyans sudden seriousness.

"Well, I'm not sure if..."

"It's either him or me Captain," Lara said. "But maybe if I learn how to manipulate Ki real fast..."

Janeway sweatdropped and turned to Goku.

"Good luck, you're our last hope"

"Hey! I could totally kick their..."

"Lara..."

"Oh, alright... jeez!" she rolled her eyes and beckoned Goku to follow. "Let's go see if we can find something in your size"

* * *

Gohan dodged attack after attack, but the Borg were steadily closing in on the young Saiyan. He was losing energy and his friends weren't doing much better. They were like fish in a pond with no place to hide. Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw an energy bolt coming his way. He tried to get out of the way, but his muscles refused to move. He heard his friends yelling but he was barely aware. He could only see the gigantic blast getting bigger and bigger, but as it was about to consume him whole, an unknown force pushed him out of the way. Dazed, the boy looked at his rescuer and felt his hart skip a beat. 

"D-Dad?" he whispered through his radio.

"It's good to see you, son," Goku smiled behind his helmet.

Gohan stared at his father, and a slight sob escaped his throat. He tried to wipe away a tear, but his helmet was in the way.

"Hey, don't cry little man!" the older Saiyan smiled. "I'm okay now, and you're mother will be alright too. I'm very proud of..." before he could finish, father and son had to duck away from another assault. Goku furrowed his brow.

"We can talk later, Gohan," he stated, "we have to finish this first"

"Right," Gohan nodded.

Goku powered up and launched an attack at the nearest cube. It was destroyed almost instantly.

"Dad! Behind you!"

Goku turned around and fired at the Queen's vessel and the two approaching cubes. The cubes were destroyed, the diamond shaped vessel barely scratched. The Saiyan blinked. That blast should've been enough to destroy all of them! He attacked again, but this time, to no avail. They had adapted! Almost as if taunting them, the Queen's ship turned around and headed for Voyager. A ray of green light came from the Diamond shaped vessel and caught the defenceless starship in a tractor beam. They could only watch as small explosions occurred on Voyager's hull while they were slowly being pulled closer to the menacing Borg contraption.

"Great, what are we going to do now!" Yamcha panicked.

"They have adapted to all of our energy signals!" Chiaotzu stated.

"Maybe not all!" Tien spoke up "Goku and Gohan have only attacked in their normal forms! If they turn SuperSaiyan, they might be able to get in one last hit!"

Goku looked at his son.

"Are you up for it?"

Gohan balled his fists.

"Let's get her!"

"Guys!" they suddenly heard Lara and Bulma panic through the com. "Our shields just went down and the Queen is charging weapons!"

"It's now or never, Gohan!" Goku shouted as he powered up to SuperSaiyan. His son did the same and both took the famous Kamehameha stance.

"Ka..."

"Me..."

"Ha..."

"Me..."

"HAAAAAAAA!!!" Father and son shouted together as they fired the energy beam in a last ditch effort to save Voyager. A blinding light engulfed everyone as the Queen's vessel was swallowed in a violent explosion. They had done it... they had defeated the Borg. The Queen had been destroyed, along with her fleet. So why... why did it feel like they had not seen the last of her? Gohan looked at his father.

"Do you..."

"Yeah, I feel it too... this isn't over... not by a long shot"

Cheering could suddenly be heard through their radio. They exchanged glanced and headed back for Voyager. Something still didn't feel right, but they would cross that bridge once they got there. Right now, there were more pressing matters at hand. When he had been on Earth, he had sensed a disturbing powerlevel and there was no telling what the androids were up to...

* * *

"... and that's basically it," Lara finished. They had all gathered on the bridge and were listening with growing amazement to Lara and the Z-fighters tale. It was almost like a camping trip, with B'Elanna, Seven and a few others sitting on the ground due to lack of chairs. They would've gone to the messhall, but Captain Janeway had decided it would be better not to leave the bridge unmanned. 

"So there's a giant grasshopper from the future..." Harry started.

"who sucks people out of their clothes..." Neelix followed.

"In order to get stronger..." B'Elanna continued.

"so he can absorb the androids..." Tom repeated slowly.

"to reach perfection," Seven finished with slight discomfort in her voice.

"And don't forget the future me, who is planning Kami-knows-what!" Lara said.

"Wow... things really took a turn for the worse while we were gone," Goku stated grimly.

"First things first: Susan and the Doctor are still on Earth and we have to get them before Cell does," Janeway declared.

"We should also try to transport the androids out of there," Goku added.

"You can't be serious!" Yamcha exclaimed.

"Look, we can't let Cell absorb them! If they know what's in their best interest, they won't destroy us or Voyager until the main threat has been eliminated"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," B'Elanna said.

"A logical assumption," Tuvok nodded. "However, the androids are created to destroy Goku. We do not know if their logic is stronger than their programming"

"That's a risk we have to take," the Captain said. "We have to stop Cell from completing his evolution at all cost. Lieutenant Paris, set a course for Earth. Maximum warp!"

* * *

Lara gazed at the view screen. At warp nine, it had taken them only fifteen minutes to get back to earth. She stepped into the Turbolift and headed for the transporter room. 'Hang on, sis!' she thought as she followed Captain Janeway and the Z-fighters inside the room.

_"__Captain!"_ Chakotay called through the com. _"B'Elanna managed to alter our scanners to get through the interference that we detected earlier. But the androids are based on humans! It will be almost impossible to find them"_

"The blueprints of Android 17 showed that they have an artificial skeletal structure," Bulma remembered. "Can't you scan for those?"

_"Hold on... yes, it worked! I'm detecting... uh oh..."_

"What is it, Chakotay?"

_"I'm only detecting two of them..."_

"But there are supposed to be three androids!" Lara said.

_"I'm also detecting one Uranian biosign... it's weak, but stable"_

"I have a lock!" Harry Kim called from behind the transporter ops.

"Initiate transport!" Janeway ordered.

Slowly, a blue light appeared on the transporter pad and a large shape appeared. Lara paled.

"Oh Kami..." she stammered. "It's 16!"

They all stared in horror at the large android. He was in pretty bad shape and didn't appear to be conscious. They knew how to do the math: if they only detected two artificial skeletal structures, and one of them belonged to 16, that could only mean...

"Cell has absorbed one of the androids!"

"Oh, hell!" Tien cursed loudly.

"Quick, Harry!" the Captain ordered. "Get Susan and that other android out of there! NOW!"

Two security guards dragged the silent giant's seemingly lifeless body off the platform to make room.

"Initiating transport!"

Slowly, Susan's unconscious frame appeared on the transporter pad.

"SIS!" Lara yelled as she tried to wake her up. However, the Uranian was out cold and did not react to her younger sister's pleas.

"Get her to sickbay!" the Captain called.

"I'll take her, Harry!" Paris said, picking up the girl. "Save the transporters for that android, before it's too late!"

"Wait up, I'm coming with you!" Lara shouted as she followed the replacement medic.

"I have a lock on the android," Harry announced. "I'm beaming him up!"

Slowly, android 17 appeared. He cracked open on eye and weakly looked at the captain.

"Oh man, looks like Cell got him good!" Yamcha winced. Janeway walked over to the young man and kneeled down to his level.

"Don't worry, it will be alright" she said to him. "You're safe here. No one will…"

"Wait…" Harry suddenly spoke up. Something...something's wrong!"

The android suddenly started disappearing again.

"I… I don't get it! We're losing him!"

The blue light continued to re-engulf the injured android, and he slowly faded away.

"Harry! Reroute all auxiliary power to the transporters!" Janeway shouted, not prepared to give up.

"It's too late Captain, he's gone!"

"Captain!" Gohan panicked. "Cell's powerlevel! It just went through the roof!"

Everyone paled. 17 had been absorbed and that monster had finally completed his evolution.

"Oh man, it just keeps rising!" Tien growled. "Is he for real?!"

Yamcha just trembled, barely able to bear the growing aura of power. It felt evil, suffocating and like it was made out of frozen nightmares.

"Oh, God..." Janeway suddenly gasped, when she took a look at the sensors and her eyes widened in horror. "ALL POWER TO THE SHIELDS!!!"

* * *

Lara fell backwards when the ship seemed to do a full 180. Chi Chi and Susan almost rolled off their biobeds, but Tom caught them just in time. 

"What's going on?!" Lara shrieked, but she was quickly interrupted.

_"All hands, this is the Captain speaking. We are going to make an emergency landing. Brace for impact!"_

"Huh? Why do we have to... AAAAAH!" Lara yelped as she was flung through sickbay. Paris barely managed to hang on to a biobed.

"Lara! Grab on to something!"

"Oh, NOW you tell me!"

Suddenly, they were bathed in a green light. It was brighter than anything they had ever seen and illuminated the entire ship. It shone through every window, every crack, every opening. Squinting her eyes, Lara covered her head a she ship started to shake violently. She tried to talk, but she couldn't even hear her own voice above the roaring of Voyager's engines. She glanced out the window and saw tree's hurtling by. She closed her eyes, convinced the end of the world was near. Another violent crash flung the Uranian backwards against a tray of hyposprays and knocked her out cold. Dende hurried over to her, but Tom held him back, shielding the young Namek with his own body against the falling rubble.

"Worry about your own safety first, kid!" he groaned. "Once this ship is on the ground, we're going to have a lot of casualties coming in!"

With one last shake, Voyager hit the ground and skidded through a forest. Everyone held their breath as their ship slowly came to a standstill. Captain Janeway swept a few messy strands of hair out of her face and got back on her feet.

"Report!" she gasped.

"The warp core is offline, as well as gravity controls and life support. Hull breaches on decks 8, 10 and 11. Impulse drive is offline. Shields and weapons are down..." Harry sighed. "Sorry Captain, I don't think we're going anywhere anytime soon"

"Casualties?"

"67 wounded, 13 of them critical. Transporters are offline."

"Tuvok, round up a team to carry the injured to Sickbay"

"Aye, Captain," the Vulcan nodded.

"Dende is still young, he can't handle all those casualties by himself," Goku said. "Are your communication systems still online? Let Bulma call her company and have them send their medics. Me and my friends will go and help Tuvok carry the wounded. With all this fallen rubble, he might need a hand clearing the way"

"I'll go back to the Capsule Corp building," Tien announced. "Maybe I can find your Doctor"

"Good idea," Janeway said. "Let's get to work!"

_In the mean time..._

Naomi Wildman climbed over a big slab of debris and stopped in front of Cargobay Two. Her mother was in sickbay, but she had escaped Neelix watchful eye. More and more wounded were being carried in every minute, but she had not seen Seven of Nine anywhere. What if she was hurt and needed help? Naomi knew she had to go and look for her. Using every ounce of strength in her little body, she pulled open the doors and climbed over the rubble. The girl winced when a piece of metal scraped her leg, but she knew she had to be tough. She wasn't going to be a baby again, like when the Borg had attacked. Gritting her teeth, she made her way through the Cargobay.

"Seven!" she called. "Seven are you here? Do you need help? Don't worry, I'm coming!"

She looked around, but there was no sign of her friend. Apparently, she was not here. Naomi was about to go back, when the ceiling suddenly gave in. A rather large pile of fallen containers and bulkheads now blocked her path. There was no way around, she would have to climb over them. Fighting back her fear of heights, Naomi grabbed one of the bulkheads and tried to pull herself up. Unfortunately, the metal beam slipped and the entire mountain of rubble started to sway in her direction. The girl could only stare wide eyed in fear as one of the larger cargo containers slowly toppled over, but as it was about to fall on top of her, she suddenly felt someone holding her and shielding her from the avalanche of debris.

"Are you...alright," her rescuer asked. Naomi nodded, while gawking at the large, metal man.

"Your head...eh...a piece of it is...ah...missing," she stammered clumsily.

"Yes, I am damaged," the giant nodded gravely.

Naomi took another look at his head, and her face suddenly lit up.

"Oh! I know someone who can fix you right up!" she jumped out of his arms and skipped away. "Just follow me!"

She turned her head to make sure he was coming with her.

"By the way, I'm Naomi Wildman," she smiled at him. "What's your name?"

He looked back at the girl.

"My project number is 16. I am an android"

"You are? Cool! Our Doctor is a hologram, so he's an artificial life form too! Come on! I bet he would love to meet you!"

She grabbed the android's hand and pulled him along. With a small smile, 16 followed the little girl. She seemed fond of him, and he had to admit; he was growing fond of her as well. He still felt pain from losing his only two companions, but perhaps... perhaps he could find friendship again.


	45. Fall of a prince

**A/N: **Ooh... I hate writing fight scenes, but it wouldn't be a DBZ fic without them! Besides that, I think I did pretty good this time. Violence for the win!

I also want to dedicate this chapter to all my loyal reviewers, especially Twisterblake. I know how you have been waiting to see Perfect Cell in action, hehehe.

No, seriously now: this story has crossed the magical 100 reviews line and I'm absolutely thrilled. When I began this story in 2004 (and did some massive rewriting in 2005) I never even dreamed of getting even a few reviews, let alone 102! It's now 2007 and my English has improved again. Not just spelling and grammar, but I think my overall story telling skills as well. Personally, I feel like my newer chapters are much more vividly written than the earlier ones. I'm going to do another massive rewrite soon, but don't worry: I won't stop adding new chapters. I've also found rewriting earlier work is a great cure for writers block. I can seriously recommend it to anyone who feels he or she is stuck!

Again, thank you and digital cookies to all of my reviewers: I love getting feedback and it motivates me to finish this story... which won't be anytime soon. I still have many, many chapter to go!

Well, that's enough talking for today,

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 45: Fall of a prince**

Cell inspected his chalk white, almost human looking hands.

'Perfect...'

He turned his head to look at his reflection in a window. His hands were not the only thing that looked more human. His tail had retraced between his wings and his figure wasn't nearly as bulky. He also noticed his face was now much pleasing to the eye.

'I am... PERFECT!'

Cell couldn't help it: what would that woman think? How would she react? A vision of Mirai Lara danced before his eyes. Pink hair that had long lost it's shine, almost sickly pale skin and a gaunt body that looked like it was going to give out on her any moment. But those eyes! Sometimes they looked like she was already dead, other times they were alive and blazing with fire, unlike anything he had ever seen. Yes, it were her eyes that haunted him the most.

"Hey, android!"

Cell ignored Vegeta, who was starting to get impatient. He closed his eyes and tried to sense the energy on the planet. As he had suspected, his sensing abilities had improved again. To his surprise, he even sensed a handful of powerlevels in the outskirts of the city! Apparently, he had missed a few humans during his earlier absorbing spree.

'Stubborn little pests,' he thought annoyed, 'they're like cockroaches: once you think you got them all, more crawl out of a hole. I'll have to deal with them later...'

He picked up another powerlevel, and another and another... what the hell?! Cell's eyes widened slightly when the 'grand total' reached well over a hundred. He knew humans could be stupid, but there was no way so many of them would stay in a city he had attacked earlier. They should be too afraid he might return to the scene of the crime.

Wait a minute... what was that? He sensed a few more powerlevels, but much stronger now. They felt familiar too. One of them was moving away towards Capsule Corp…

It was Tien!

Cell felt like someone had just slapped him in the face when he recognised the others. Yamcha! Chiaotzu! Gohan! And... no way... it couldn't be... GOKU?!

He snapped out of his bewilderment when he heard Vegeta snorting.

"What's wrong, Cell? You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

Ghosts... Of course! That's it! The android suddenly realised what had happened: Voyager had been wished back, and so had Goku... The Z-fighters trip to Namek had been a success. He focused his senses and now detected a couple of humans who had unusual low powerlevels: most likely injured. He had not seen them earlier, but the sheer force of his transformation had probably knocked them out of orbit and forced them to crash land on this planet. Cell smirked.

'My, how... convenient'

"Android! I don't have all day, do not try my patience!"

Slowly, Cell turned to the Saiyan Prince, the smirk on his face growing more devious by the minute.

"Oh, there we go," Vegeta snorted. "I almost thought you had gone deaf"

Cell just chuckled.

"So, little Vegeta still wants to play, doesn't he?"

"WHAT?! You insolent piece of junk! I'll teach you to respect the prince of all Saiyans!"

"FATHER! NO!!!"

They both looked up at Trunks, who had just landed on to of a building. Piccolo was standing behind him, looking grim.

"Boy, what are you dong here?!"

"I found him on my way here and gave him a senzu," Piccolo growled and then glared at Vegeta. "Apparently, someone knocked his lights out for his own selfish reasons"

The Saiyan prince glared back.

"Namek, don't you dare to question me! This is MY battle and I think it's about time I showed you all once and for all who is the most powerful being in...!"

Faster than even Vegeta could track, Cell charged and punched him in the face, sending the prince skidding across the street.

"You talk too much, Vegeta," he stated.

"Father!" Trunks cried and dived off the building.

"Stay back, boy! Don't even think about interfering!" Vegeta barked while he slowly got back up. He sneered at the android.

"The _woman_ can pack a better punch than that! Why don't you cut the crap and show me what you got!?"

"No... I don't think I will," Cell yawned. "Why would I waste my energy on you?"

"How dare you..." Vegeta balled his fists. "How DARE you mock me! You're not perfect! You're NOTHING!"

Blinded with rage, the Saiyan prince powered up and unleashed a barrage of ki-blasts at the android. It didn't even faze him.

"So, you toughened up a bit, big deal!" he snorted. "I'll still crush you!"

"You still talk an awful lot Vegeta," Cell said. "Should I give you another slap on the wrist or should I just silence you permanently?"

"WHY...YOU!!!"

"Vegeta! Don't let his taunting get to you!" Piccolo yelled, but it was already too late. Vegeta charged at the android and punched and kicked for all he was worth. Cell just dodged all his attacks, and laughed at the Saiyan's futile attempts to land a blow.

"Oh no, Vegeta is growing more angry by the second, he can't think straight anymore!" Piccolo growled and then looked at Trunks. "I know you're hiding your true power, Kami can sense it"

The demi-Saiyan looked shocked.

"He can?"

"Yes, and it's much stronger than Vegeta's so why won't you use it?"

"I can't..."

"WHY NOT!" Piccolo exclaimed. "Just look at them, Vegeta doesn't stand a chance! Cell is just toying with him and if you want him to live, you'd better do something right now!"

"You don't understand! I can't let my father find out I surpassed him! I will wait until he has lost consciousness, only then will I show my true power! Not a minute before!"

Piccolo knew further arguing wouldn't do any good. He sat down and looked at the ongoing battle.

"For Vegeta's sake, let's hope that moment will come soon..."

* * *

"Ugh!" 

Vegeta groaned when Cell nailed him in the stomach. He coughed up blood and glared murderously at the android. Suddenly, he smirked and raised his hands. Power crackled around his body as a ball of ki started to form above his head.

"Heh heh heh, if you're nearly as strong as you think you are, then I'm sure you won't have to bother dodging this, do you? Or are you going to stop me? If you plan to attack, Cell, better do it now before I'm done powering up!"

"What... what is he doing?" Trunks worried, but Piccolo just smirked.

"Your dad is using Cell's own strategy against him, he's daring Cell to let down his guard and it looks like it's going to work!"

Trunks looked down and saw that Piccolo was right. While Vegeta was almost done charging his attack, Cell was just standing there looking confident as ever. The android obviously had no intention of blocking whatever the Saiyan was going to throw at him.

"TAKE THIS! BIG BANG ATTACK!!!"

With a loud roar, Vegeta unleashed the attack at the menacing bioandroid.

"GET DOWN!!!" Piccolo yelled at Trunks as the giant ball of ki exploded violently on impact. Entire buildings were blown away, cars and other vehicles hurtled through the streets as if they were little more than old newspapers. When the smoke cleared, Cell emerged with a look of utter shock on his face. Vegeta grinned pleased when he saw that he had blown over half the android's body to pieces. However, his grin quickly faded when an evil smirk appeared on Cell's face.

"Come now Vegeta, did you really think you could defeat me that easily?"

He groaned as new limbs suddenly sprouted out of his body. The android flexed his regenerated arm.

"Ah, much better..."

Vegeta's eyes bulged out of their sockets. He started trembling and took a step back.

"No... it's not possible..." he gasped. "I put everything I had into that attack! Everything!"

Cell's expression darkened.

"You are a fool, Vegeta," he spat before blasting the prince with his own Gallic Gun. The Saiyan fell down face first and his hair turned from gold to black.

"He's still alive, but just barely," Piccolo said to Trunks. "It's now or never!"

"I know!" Trunks growled as he powered up. His muscles increased in size and his hair stood up. He kept roaring as his powerlevel continued to increase. Cell didn't seem interested in the impressive display and slowly walked over to the older Saiyan's fallen form.

"I suppose I should thank you," he started as he formed a ki-blast at the tip of his finger, "if it had not been for your stupidity, I would never had a chance to absorb android 17." He aimed the ball of energy at his head and with an evil smile on his face, prepared to fire. "As token of my appreciation, I shall grant you a quick death"

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

In a flash, Trunks jumped off the building and knocked Cell away from his father. Cell looked stunned for a moment, then chuckled as he wiped a trickle of purple blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Congratulations Trunks, I must admit you caught me completely off guard"

"Shut up!"

The android frowned, but didn't get the chance to say something.

"For years you androids terrorised my world! Billions were killed and there is nothing left but broken ruins and the smell of despair! No more, Cell! Do you hear me!? The horror ends now!!!"

_On Voyager:_

"I think that's the last of them," Goku said as he and Gohan carefully laid a Vulcan woman on a biobed. She had a nasty gash on her temple and both her legs and one of her ribs were broken. One of Bulma's medics inspected her, and after making sure she was stable, hurried over to the next patient. Broken bones could wait: punctured lungs could not.

"How are your people doing?" he asked Captain Janeway who was walking around with a dermal regenerator, trying to help wherever she could.

"Good, considering the circumstances. It's a miracle we didn't have any fatal casualties"

"And... him?"

The Captain sighed.

"Bulma and B'Elanna think they can repair 16, but are you sure we can trust him?"

"To be honest... no, but everyone deserves a second chance"

"Almost all of us used to be Goku's enemies," Yamcha nodded as he helped a young ensign with a bruised ankle into a chair.

"The androids Trunks described were bloodthirsty killing machines, but now that I think about it: the 17 and 18 from this timeline have never killed anyone and 16 didn't even exist"

"And Naomi seems to like him," Neelix smiled while he continued to hand out water to the waiting patients. "Apparently, he saved her when she sneaked out of Sickbay to look for Seven. I've talked to him when I was getting B'Elanna something to eat. He's not much of a talker, but he is quite friendly to me and everyone else so far. He just seemed to be a little obsessive about his programming, which is telling him to...erm...well..."

"He wants to kill me, right?" Goku laughed sheepishly with a hand behind his head. "It's okay, for some reason they all do"

"Naomi made him promise he would leave you alone or she wouldn't teach him how to play kadiskot. I think he agreed"

"How about that?" Yamcha chuckled. "One of the most powerful warriors on the planet tamed by a little girl. Sounds familiar, huh?"

Goku turned red as a beet.

"It's true, you know," Gohan whispered to the Captain, who was obviously amused. "Dad is the strongest in the world, but some people say mom is because she's the only one who can..."

"Er... let's go back to the matters at hand," the Saiyan said quickly. "I can sense Cell's powerlevel, and it's off the scale! Trunks is fighting him now, but I'm not sure he can win"

Gohan focused on the fight too.

"But dad, Trunks' powerlevel is much higher than Cell's!"

"Yeah, I know it looks that way, but... something is just... off. It doesn't feel right"

He turned to Janeway.

"Captain, we've landed dangerously close to the battleground. If things get ugly, Voyager could get caught in the crossfire. I know it's risky to use instant transmission in the proximity of a warp core, but with your engines off-line, I don't think we have a choice."

"We don't know what will happen when two different laws of physics collide, but I agree we have to get out of the way. Not only would staying here be suicide, if the warp core gets hit by a ki-blast the explosion could destroy half the planet." A look of determination appeared in her eyes as she turned to face Goku. "Alright, we've got nothing to lose. Do it!"

"Aye, ma'am," the Saiyan nodded as he placed a hand on the floor, closed his eyes and focused on Dr. Briefs' powerlevel...

* * *

**A/N:** Ooh, I want to tell who was talking to 17, but I don't want to spoil it by just blurting it out, so I'll give you a hint: she was saved by Voyager in the beginning of the series... 

**P.S.** Go here: **_sanne-chan . deviantart . com_** (remove spaces) to see fanart and read an interview with the characters!


	46. Here to stay

**A/N:** I can't seem to break the one update a month barrier. I'll try a little harder, but I need some time to recharge my creative juices after each chapter and I don't want them all to be 200 words. Oh well, here you go!

* * *

**Chapter 46: Here to stay **

With a loud cry, Trunks lunged at the malicious bio-android. Unfortunately, Cell sidestepped and grabbed the Saiyan's arm, flinging him away with little effort. He quickly gave suit and punched the young warrior against his jaw. Trunks was sent flying several meters backwards and landed flat on his stomach. He turned his head slightly, hoping that the android wouldn't notice. He made eye contact with Piccolo and motioned him to get Vegeta while Cell was distracted. The Namek growled, not comfortable with the idea of running from a fight. However, he knew that he would only get in Trunks way. The boy had reached a powerlevel that was simply beyond his comprehension. Compared to the Saiyan, he was nothing more than a mere fly, one that Cell would easily swat away. He gave Trunks a quick nod and silently retrieved the older Saiyan, leaving the two warriors from the future to decide the fate of the Earth.

Trunks smiled inwardly, but his relief did not last.

"Well, now that Piccolo has finally left us, shall we start fighting seriously?"

His eyes widened.

"You… knew?!"

Cell snorted in disgust.

"Don't be ridiculous, did you really think I would not notice the Namek sneaking onto the battlegrounds? I only allowed him to take Vegeta because I knew you would never use your full power as long as your pitiful father was in the way." He snickered cruelly when he saw the look of shock on Trunks' face. "I suppose I could've finished him off, but I will have plenty of time for that once I have disposed of you. After all, he was the one who foolishly allowed me to become complete. Where's the fun in killing him now and not being able to see his face when he finds his only son dead at the hands of his greatest mistake?"

"NEVER!"

Roaring with rage, Trunks lashed out but again failed to land a hit. He whirled around and kicked Cell in the back of his head, only to realise he had merely struck an afterimage.

"Come on, don't tell me this is the best you can do?" the android taunted, lazily dodging blow after blow. Trunks fired a barrage of energy blasts, but none of them connected with it's target.

"Dammit… what's wrong?" the Saiyan growled. "Even Kami sensed my powerlevel is far higher, so why can't I hit him?!"

"I must admit, you have exceeded me in the area of brute strength," Cell smirked. "But you still will never be able to beat me"

"Listen to yourself!" Trunks shouted back. "You admit that I'm more powerful than you, yet you claim that I will never defeat you? That makes no sense!"

"It makes perfect sense," the android stated confidently. "But you are twisting my words: I admitted you are stronger than me, I never said anything about power"

Frustrated, Trunks launched another ki-blast, but again to no avail.

"You speak of strength and power as if they are two different things!"

"That is because they are," Cell disappeared and reappeared behind the Saiyan, kicking him in the back. "Come now, don't tell me you haven't learned anything from those girls? Frankly, I think that even they would stand a much better chance against me at the moment"

"Susan and Lara? Their powerlevel is barely above human! How on Earth could they possibly…" his eyes widened in shock when the meaning of the android's words suddenly dawned on him. "Oh no…"

"Oh yes! Do you finally realise the futility of your efforts now? As I said, you outrank me in the area of brute force, but what good will strength do you when you are not fast enough to catch your opponent?"

Trunks felt his stomach drop. Of course… of course… that was the reason his father had not ascended! He knew he could, but he had also realised the limitations of the new transformations. Unlike him, his father had known better than to trade in speed and agility for bulky muscles that gave him strength but nothing more. Sighing heavily, he dropped out of SuperSaiyan and hung his head in defeat.

"You can destroy me if you want," he said hoarsely. "I failed…"

Cell grinned evilly, satisfied that he had at last crushed the boy's hope. He really should have known better than to oppose him to begin with. Oh well…

He extended his arm and prepared to fire, when an idea suddenly struck him.

"Let me ask you one thing first, Trunks: just how did you become this strong when a few days ago, you weren't even a match for the androids?"

The Saiyan stayed silent, much to Cell's annoyance.

"Not feeling talkative? Alright, then tell me this: if you had more time… could you become even stronger?"

This sparked the boy's interest.

"What do you mean?"

"Must I repeat the question?"

"No, I heard you, but… even if I could…what does it matter now?"

Cell smirked cockily, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as if in deep thought.

"Let's just say I have decided to spare you for the moment"

"W-what?"

"Long ago, before you and I were even born, Earth used to have an annual World Martial Arts Tournament an I plan to revive it. I will call it… 'the Cell Games'… quite a catchy title, don't you agree?"

Trunks did not answer, he just looked at the android like he had gone completely mad.

"It shall be held in ten…" Cell paused when an image of Mirai Lara briefly danced across his vision. "No wait… fourteen days. Spread the word, train as much as you can and bring along your strongest fighters. The more fighters you bring… the bigger your chance of defeating me." Cell snickered, obviously not considering the possibility of losing his own tournament.

"Why are you doing this? Is it a trap? Do you plan to gather us all in one spot just so you can destroy us all in one go?"

"Are you insinuating that I need tricks and lies to lure you to your death? I require no such nonsense. I simply wish for everyone to witness my true power before I obliterate this mud ball. Oh, I just can't wait to see the look of fear on their faces!"

He chuckled when he saw the growing terror in Trunks' eyes.

"Yes, that's the look! Now, I have other things to attend to. I suggest you keep a close eye on your television for more details on the rules and location of the tournament." Cell gave the bewildered boy a two-finger salute and took off into the sky.

* * *

"Oh, my!" 

Bulma's mother almost dropped her watering can when suddenly out of nowhere, a giant spaceship appeared in their backyard. It was a good thing they weren't living in a normal house.

"What is it, dear… Ah!" Dr. briefs stepped out of the Capsule Corp. building and almost fell over. This was not something you saw every day! Krillin reacted in a similar fashion when he saw the ship. He had stayed at CC after bringing the Doctor's mobile emitter and couldn't believe his senses when he picked up Goku's powerlevel.

"Hey, guess who's back!"

Bulma stepped out of the ship and ran up to her parents.

"Hi Bulma," Krillin greeted her happily. "How did everything go?"

"Look for yourself!"

Krillin blinked at the familiar voice behind him.

"G-Goku?"

"That's me! Hey, turn around buddy!"

"Eh… I can't"

"Why not?" Goku asked confused.

"Because if I do, you'll tell me I'm dreaming and disappear!" Krillin panicked.

"In that case…" smirking mischievously, he suddenly grabbed the short warrior and threw him into the Briefs' pool.

"Ack!" Krillin splashed and flew out, his clothes soaking wet. "Goku, you nut!"

Of course, he only pretended to be angry. In fact, he was happy because now the wetness on his face could be blamed on the water. He had missed his friend so much…

"Dad," Bulma started, "these people are from another dimension and their ship is damaged. It will take at least a month before they can leave. Problem is, they also lost a lot of the crew quarters so they are a bit short on living space at the moment"

"Well… I'm sure we can manage to squeeze a couple of them in here," he smiled at his daughter. Though this building was not as big as the previous head quarters Cell had destroyed, it could still accommodate well over 50 people. Food and other necessities weren't much of a problem either: CC was a very successful business and they had plenty of money and recourses to spare.

When Bulma gave the signal trough her combadge (she had gotten one), a large crowd exited the ship, some of them carrying wounded. Ms. Briefs looked worried.

"Oh dear, I'd better go make some tea…"

_Meanwhile onboard Voyager…_

"Captain, Bulma just informed us that some of the crew can stay at her fathers company…"

Chakotay frowned when she did not answer.

"Captain?"

"What…? Oh, that's very kind of him…"

"Care to join me outside and thank them?"

The Captain looked at him, then turned her attention to a report that B'Elanna had given her.

"Look at this, Chakotay. It's a damage report from after Goku's instant transmission."

The commander read the padd and his eyes widened slightly.

"Looks like we barely made it through," he stated.

"We are lucky to be alive, but…" she sighed. "How lucky will we be next time? And the time after that? If Goku needs to transport us again, Voyager will not survive"

"In that case, let's just pray that android… or whatever it is, won't be interested in us"

"Knock on wood, Chakotay…" she mumbled absentmindedly. Suddenly, her combadge went off.

_"Paris to Janeway!" _

"Janeway here!"

_"Request you come down to sickbay Captain, there's someone here who just woke up and really wants to see you"_

* * *

**A/N**: So, what's happened? Part of the Voyager crew has moved to the CC building, Susan just woke up and of course… the Cell Games! this fic is AU, so I don't think anyone will mind the fourteen days. Cell does not want to destroy Earth before he kills Mirai Lara, so he opted for two weeks instead of ten days. And who knows, something interesting might happen in the extra time… 

**P.S.** A short explanation on Susan and Lara's relation to Captain Janeway. Uranians take longer than humans to grow up and when they do, they often still cling very much to their parents. Though they do not really see the Captain as their mother, she has acted as a mother figure one on more than one occasion, similar to the way she acted towards Kes and Seven of Nine. As a result, Susan and Lara have become quite attached to her.


	47. Fourteen days

**A/N: **Due to school (though I have vacation now), and my current obsession with "Prince of Persia", this fic has been sitting on the backburner a bit. However, now that I got this somewhat difficult chapter written, I have all kinds of ideas again! Sometimes you just need a break, I guess ;) I've been looking forward to this part of the story ever since I started it. You know why? THE FOURTEEN DAYS, BABY!!! I'm going to have fun writing those, because everything will slowly start falling into place. Expect a plot twist frenzy, and you never know who might pop up!

* * *

**Chapter 47: ****Fourteen days  
**

"It's not your fault, Susan"

"Y-yes… it i-is!" she sobbed. "He's destroyed because… because of ME!"

Captain Janeway held the guilt ridden girl who has started crying in her shoulder when she had asked her if she had seen the Doctor.

"The Doctor caught a blast that was meant for me, if I hadn't asked Trunks to let 17 live, then none of this…"

She started crying hysterically again and Janeway frowned. Not because she was angry at the girl, but because of her unusual behaviour. If Susan had been human, the Captain would not have been surprised at her mournful reaction. However, she had learned quite a deal about the Uranian race and an outburst like this was anything but normal. The Uranian mind was rather unique when it came to handling negative emotions. When a human experienced something traumatic, like the loss of a family member, it could take years to process and not always without scars. When a Uranian went through the same experience, they would completely lose it for a moment, faint, and then return to normal. Instead of, sometimes with the help of counselling, giving the traumatic experience a place in their lives, Uranians instinctively fainted and banned the event to the back of their minds, their frail nerves simply unable to handle the stress.

Janeway had never dared to wonder what would happen if that mental safeguard failed…

"Susan, hold still for a moment," Paris said as he injected her with a hypospray. The girl calmed down and sighed.

"Thanks… I don't know what came over me," she apologized, her eyes still puffy. She zoned out for a moment and then smiled as if nothing happened. Janeway knew this was a good sign, but still couldn't help but shudder for a moment. She would never get used to this.

"Captain…" Susan suddenly said. "There was someone else with me down there…"

"We tried to beam out both you and Android 17, but for some reason his transport failed"

Susan's eyes widened.

"You know about the androids?"

"And Cell," Janeway nodded. "Lara told us all about that 'disgusting green bug-like psychopath creep'"

"I guess she also informed you why we're not exactly fond of him?"

"Yes, using very… colourful language"

Paris snickered behind them as he gave Susan one last scan. When she officially got a clean bill of health, they went outside and joined the rest in the Capsule Corporation building. The Z-fighters had arrived, including Trunks who had brought with him a grave message. (A/N: yes, that last paragraph completely and utterly sucked, but I HATE writing these boring reunions… at this moment, I just want to have the whole bunch together again and get the plot moving before everyone falls asleep! The entire gang is at CC, they all hugged, shared information and did any sappy stuff they felt like doing… NOW ON WITH THE STORY ALREADY!)

"A tournament?"

Trunks nodded and everyone looked nervous.

"Why would he do that?" Lara cocked an eyebrow. "It's not like any of us is a match for him"

"Exactly," Piccolo growled. "For someone like Cell, victory is not enough. He'll want to boast about his power and strike fear into the people of this planet before he destroys them"

"That's what he said," Trunks said grimly. "He's just toying with us"

"Wait, Maybe this isn't such bad news!" Chi Chi suddenly spoke up. "If there is a tournament, there must also be rules"

"Which means he can't kill his opponents!" Gohan's face lit up.

"I highly doubt a being such as Cell, will follow your logic," Tuvok stated, stoic as ever.

"Well, I know I'm entering!" Yamcha smirked with enthusiasm. "We'll show that monster what we're made of, right guys?"

"Hold on a minute," B'Elanna interrupted him. "Where will these 'Cell Games' take place?"

"I don't know," Trunks answered. "He just said to keep a close eye on our television"

"Seven, Neelix, you will be monitoring all media broadcasts," Janeway ordered.

"Aye Captain," they both nodded.

"In the mean time," she turned to Dr. Briefs, "How's our Doctor?"

"He was lucky, the damage to his emitter was mainly done to the power cell. I've managed to repair it, but it will take about a day or so to recharge"

"Which is not something we can say for the ship," B'Elanna said grimly. "I took a closer look at things and to be honest… I don't think we'll be going anywhere for a while… if at all! Even with Bulma's help, our recourses in this dimension are still limited. Little things like plasma coils and power relays we can replicate, but I don't think they sell complete sets of hull plating at the local super market. Same goes for our engines, weapons and Warp drive"

"Don't worry," Goku said. "We'll just wish for Voyager to be repaired with the Dragonballs!"

"Yes," Dende smiled. "I will be Earth's new guardian and revive the Dragon. You wont have to…"

"I don't think we should… at least, not now," Janeway interrupted. "If that creature is half as horrible as Trunks thinks it is, you're going to need those wishes later"

"Captain, once the Dragonballs have been used, they will scatter and need a year to recharge!"

She looked at her crew who all nodded silently in agreement to the unspoken question. Even Susan and Lara, though they did look slightly pale at the prospect of staying on Earth during the Cell Games. Everyone knew it was the right thing to do.

"We've been travelling this long, one more year won't hurt," she said with a forced smile. "If miss Bulma won't mind having us around a little longer, that is…"

"Hey, no problem!" Bulma waved the question away. "Tell your crew to pack their stuff and I'll go find you guys some rooms"

_Meanwhile…_

Cell closed his eyes and concentrated… there! He detected a spark of energy that no doubt belonged to Mirai Lara. He smirked: he could get used to his improved senses. His expression quickly changed when he noticed that her powerlevel was fluctuating wildly and sometimes was on the verge of disappearing completely. Something was wrong.

He kicked up speed and finally reached a small town he had raided earlier. He scanned the empty streets for movement and a flash of pink suddenly caught his eye. There she was, walking across the middle of the road. He silently flew down and tapped her on her shoulder.

"Guess who," he smirked. As expected, she jumped slightly and whirled around. As NOT expected, she poked his chest, blinked, and then started laughing hysterically.

"Hee hee hee! L-look who w-went through p-puberty," she choked, falling over in another fit of giggles.

For a moment, Cell was stunned and honestly had no idea how to react. This was not the cold, introvert woman he had made a deal with. Something was very wrong indeed. He grabbed her by her shoulders, roughly steadying her back on her feet. She scowled at him, but then suddenly her eyelids drooped. He shook her, which earned him a slap across his face.

"H-hey! Leggo, you…you…eh…" she looked at him confused. "…what was I s-saying again?"

"You insolent wench! What is the matter with…" his eyes widened when he smelled her breath. Oh, this explained it. This explained _a lot_.

"Lara?"

"Yes?"

"You're drunk, my dear"

An insulted expression appeared on her face and she crossed her arms.

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are"

"No, look… I can't be d-drunk," she pouted. "H-humans drink w-wine to get drunk… I didn't…" she didn't finish her sentence and swayed to the side, grabbing hold of a lamppost for balance.

"Then what did you drink?"

"T-that…" She pointed at an empty bottle laying at his feet. Cell picked it up.

"Tequila", he read out loud, sweatdropping at the alien woman.

"S-see? Not w-wine," Lara stated triumphantly, then hiccupped. "T-translator malfunctioned… couldn't p-process text, only s-speech… had to smell the b-bottles"

Cell was slowly beginning to realise what had happened. Lara had been looking for something to drink, but could not read the labels because of her malfunctioning translator. Apparently, Uranians did not drink alcohol on their planet, and wine had been the only alcoholic drink she'd ever smelled and learned to recognise during her stay on that star ship. Cell looked at the woman, who flashed him a lopsided grin and hiccupped again. He noticed there were several more empty bottles strewn across the sidewalk.

"Just how many bottles did you drink?"

"T-this many," she hiccupped and showed him her hands. He counted the fingers she put up and went bug-eyed.

"EIGHT?!" he couldn't help exclaim. "You consumed eight full bottles of tequila?!"

"…yeah…I think so…" Lara mumbled. "Is that b-bad?"

"Any human would be dead by now"

"O-Oops…" the Uranian mumbled, before suddenly passing out, face down on the street. Cell grumbled under his breath. NOW what was he going to do with that woman? He couldn't just leave her alone, that was for sure. He wanted to find out what made her tick, what had made her change from her bubbly present self, into the bitter, cynical and quite unstable creature that kept haunting his thoughts. To do that, he needed to uphold his part of their agreement… for now.

Rolling his eyes, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, slightly surprised at her weight. She was light! Really light! This couldn't just be from malnourishment alone. Perhaps her species had hollow bones? That would explain why it was so easy for them to fly while barely using any ki at all.

Cell snapped himself out of his musings. He wasn't interested in her physical traits, he wanted to pick the alien apart mentally. Well… was soon as she sobered up again, that was. He took off, but as if on cue, Lara muttered something incoherent and weakly flailed her arms. Cell couldn't help roll his eyes at her pathetic attempt to get free, which lasted about five seconds before she fell asleep again.

"You would be wise not throw up on my arena, woman," he warned her unconscious form when the white platform came into view, "or a hangover will be the least of your problems"


	48. Doomsday broadcast

**A/N: **I just got my hands on a few episodes of the Cell saga and the first thing I noticed is the Arena. Or rather: the environment. It is **NOT** a scorching hot sandy desert! There are rocky, grassy plains with hills, shrubs and even a few trees (until everything gets blown up during the fight, of course). So, what sparked the tidal wave of "Sahara Games" fan fics? I honestly don't have a clue. Will I kill the authors? Most likely, though you can slightly increase your chances of survival by sending me a life-size cut-out of Harry Kim and leaving a nice review while you're at it.

Or shoes. Those will work too.

* * *

**Chapter 48: Doomsday broadcast**

Cell stood on his arena, watching silently as Mirai Lara's unconscious form started to move and her eyes slowly fluttered open. Her clouded gaze focused on him for a moment, and suddenly he could see something spark. But what? Fear? It looked like it, but yet… it was different.

He could see she had a headache. The woman sat up, then instantly grabbed her head and clenched her eyes shut again.

"It's called a 'hangover', my dear," he stated with cruel amusement. His smirk slowly turned into amazement when the woman didn't answer. No comments about his new form. No questions as how she got to his arena. No groaning and asking him to quiet down and dim the lights. Instead, he could see her gritting her teeth, opening her eyes once more and attempting to stand.

"What are you doing?"

"I…cannot… stay here…" Lara finally said with great difficulty. Cell noticed how she was trying to avoid eye contact, or looking at him at all for the matter. She swayed on her feet and visibly struggled to keep her balance. Her face was even paler than usual, no doubt from pain. Yet, she didn't give a sound. Out of the blue, she suddenly spoke, her back still turned to him.

"I apologize…for acting like a fool"

Cell snorted.

"What possessed you to drink bottles, which contents were unknown to you? You could've drank tap water"

"Energy on my ship was low… always… barely any recourses," she mumbled incoherently. "Little power for my replicator… water was the most efficient to replicate… didn't drink anything else"

"And now that, for the first time in 30 years, you could get your hands on something else… you took that chance, only to have your translator fail you," Cell finished for her.

"I will not… take that risk again…"

"Indeed you shouldn't," he said warningly. "I have yet to learn the workings of your mind, my dear, but I have seen what alcohol does to humans. It makes them forget, and I do hope you still remember our agreement?"

"The date and manner of your own death are not things that slip ones mind easily," she said, a little stronger this time. Her ki was also much more stable now. The woman was recovering remarkably quick. He fruitlessly tried to gauge her emotions, her aura, the tone of her voice. Suddenly, she turned around, her cold eyes boring into his.

"You had just better remember _your_ part, Cell," she said darkly.

"Ah yes, your sister," he said in a tone as if he had completely forgotten. "I believe your precious Voyager snatched her out of 17's hands, though I don't quite understand how"

He saw Lara freeze on the spot, a torrent of emotions flashing in her eyes.

"They… they are here?" she whispered, as if she were afraid her voice would affect his answer.

"Yes," he smirked evilly. "Though, I'm afraid they won't be going anywhere. I sensed quite a lot of casualties, indicating that their ship is most likely damaged. I should probably go and put them out of their misery…"

Before Cell knew what hit him, two hands grabbed the sides of his head, sending a jolt of excruciating pain surging through his body. The world around him fell apart and he heard screams, only realizing later that they had been his own.

"You will leave them alone, do you hear me?!" Lara growled in an unearthly voice, her eyes glowing bright red while the pain intensified tenfold and found it's way into every fibre of his being. "I swear to each and every deity I know that if you lay ONE hand on them… I'll… I'll…"

The attack stopped as quickly as it began, and she loosened her grip. The Uranian had used up all her energy at once and was now struggling to stay on her feet. I a fit of surprise and fury, Cell kicked her against a pillar, where she slumped down on the white marble, collapsing on her side. The nerve… the very nerve of that woman to attack him!

"You are lucky I didn't kill you on the spot," he hissed, his dark form looming over her.

"You are lucky… I didn't… kill_ you,_" she mumbled weakly, not a trace was left of her previous rage. Baffled, he looked into her tired and, once again, empty eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous," Cell scoffed. "That attack was fierce, but it only lasted a few seconds and left you completely drained. You are at MY mercy now, you foolish girl!"

"I would find a way…" she whispered, looking at him murderously. "You bastard… If you break our agreement… "

To his utter astonishment, Lara slowly managed to get back on her feet even though her energy was almost down to zero. She was without a doubt the most stubborn creature he had ever met.

"I never agreed to spare _them_, my dear, I only agreed to spare your sister." A cruel grin spread across his face when he saw her eyes filling with panic as she slowly realized her error.

"You disappoint me, Lara," he continued, enjoying how she had become speechless. "At first glance you didn't look quite as naïve as your younger counterpart, but apparently I was mistaken. You really should think things through a little better before giving your life away. In fact, can you give me one good reason why I shouldn't destroy that ship right now? I could take that girl away from Voyager, dump her safely on the other side of the planet where she won't bother me and then return to have a little fun before my tournament begins!"

"Don't even think about it!"

Cell wanted to retort, when he suddenly realized that it had not been Lara who had answered. He whirled around, his eyes wide with shock.

"Goku?"

"In the nanoprobe-free flesh, thanks to her," he pointed at the woman behind him and waved cheerfully. "Hey Lara, how've you been?"

Cell saw her twitch and looking warily at the Saiyan, as if he was about to bite her head off.

Goku sweatdropped.

"Not much of a talker, huh?" He grinned sheepishly, then, fully serious again, turned back to the android. "Listen Cell, I can't let you kill those people! Your fight is with me!"

Cell scowled. Just who did that Saiyan think he was? He looked him over: Goku, protector of Earth and the good doctor's nemesis. The reason the androids were created… the reason HE was created. Cell would be lying if he said he wasn't at least slightly intrigued by the legendary warrior.

"Ah yes," the android recovered from his initial surprise. "I take it you spoke to Trunks?"

"You are going to revive the World Tournament," Goku stated.

"Correct," Cell nodded and smirked. "May I add I do look forward to facing you, Goku? After Vegeta and Trunks' pathetic display of so-called Saiyan power, I hope _you_ at least will put up a decent fight"

"Hold on there, I haven't even decided if I will enter yet"

Cell's eyes bulged out of his head. He could not believe what he had just heard.

"Haven't decided yet? Surely you must be joking!"

"Well… I would enter, if I had time to train, but alas," the Saiyan sighed dramatically. "It seems like I'm stuck the next fourteen days, protecting Voyager from you. Bummer, huh?"

No. This wasn't fair. This was not how it was supposed to be! He wanted to defeat Goku during his tournament, crushing Earth's last hope with its entire population as his witness. Not anonymously in some kind of cheap back alley brawl!

"Fine then, Goku," he spat. "I will spare the ship and it's weakling crew, but ONLY if you fight first at the day of the Cell Games"

"Alright Cell," the Saiyan smirked, "You have yourself a deal!"

He put his middle and index finger to his forehead, then suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Lara, do you want to come back with me to Voyager? Maybe we can… " Goku blinked and scratched his head. "Hey, where'd she go?"

Cell turned around and saw that the Uranian had vanished.

_Again._

However, this time, he didn't bother chasing after her. The woman would return to him. She always did. In the mean time, he had an announcement to make…

* * *

"_Ronaldo… we can't… we mustn't!"_

"_Don't run away from me, Lindsay! Dammit… I LOVE YOU!"_

"_But… I'm a married woman! What if John finds out the twins aren't his?"_

"_I don't care what my long lost brother will think of us! As long as we have each other and my life doesn't end in some kind of mysterious freak accident, nothing can stand in our way!"_

"_Oh, Ronaldo…"_

"Excuse me, but am I the only one who thinks this show is stupid?" Susan pointed at the monitor.

"You are not," Seven said. "The plot of this so-called 'soap opera' is highly implausible"

"Indeed," Tuvok nodded.

"Wait… There's a plot?" Harry scratched his head and looked at Krillin, who was equally confused.

"Neelix, flip the channel, will ya?" Tom called over Yamcha's shoulder.

"But they're just getting to the good part!" Bulma and Chi Chi protested.

"Eww, human mating rituals!" Lara covered her eyes and made gagging noises.

Captain Janeway smacked her forehead when she entered the Briefing room and instead of just Seven and Neelix, saw EVERYONE crammed together and watching the monitor. Why did she even _bother_ to give orders…

"Neelix, has anything happened yet?"

"Well, Ronaldo and Lindsay…"

"I was talking about Cell"

"He hasn't showed himself yet, at least not on this channel"

She walked to the screen and tapped a nearby panel. Instead of the soap opera, a busty redhead in her mid twenties appeared on the monitor, smiling broadly into the camera.

"Ooh yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Roshi cheered, before being whacked with Chi Chi's frying pan.

"_That's right ladies and gentlemen, the jackpot has just been doubled!"_ the girl announced, bubbling with glee, while gold sparkles appeared all around her. _"We are looking for an animal, starting with a C and ending with a T! Just call the number on the bottom of your screen and YOU could be today's lucky…EEEEEEEEEK!!!!!"_

Everyone looked in horror at the unexpected studio 'guest', much like the girl, who instantly fainted on top of her telephone.

"Cell!" Tien growled. "He looks different than before, but it's him alright!"

Susan and Lara yelped and ducked behind Piccolo, who sweatdropped. The Voyager crew was glued to the screen, looking in awe at the monster.

"Wow…" Paris said with wide eyes. "This is just like 'Captain Proton versus the Insect People from the tenth dimension'!"

"Look!" Gohan pointed. "He's going through the ceiling!"

Captain Janeway quickly flipped through the channels, her eyes never leaving the monitor.

"_And now we just add a pinch of… AHHH!!!"_

"_Don't miss this great… NO!!!"_

"_Happy, happy, fun… HELP!!!"_

Finally, the android came to a stop, interrupting a news broadcast.

"_Earlier today, five people were arrested for… __Stop! What do you think you're doing! Someone call securi… ACK!"_

Everyone held their breath as Cell looked into the camera and flashed them a chilling grin.

"_Greetings, people of Earth!"_

"Hey, looks like he forgot all about us!"

"_And visitors"_

"Damn…"

"Quiet, you!" Vegeta barked at Lara, and refocused on the screen, thankfully not noticing the rather obscene gesture she made behind his back.

_"My name is Cell and your boring little lives are about to become a lot more interesting. I have enjoyed terrorizing Earth, but now I have something far more greater planned for this pathetic planet. For those of you who don't remember me, take a close look at my face: I am the monster of Nicky town,"_ he said in his old voice. _"I am the evolved form of that creature, and I do thank you for providing me with the energy I needed. You humans may be at ease now, I no longer require your bio-extract."_

"I'm not sure I like how he just laid emphasis on the word 'humans'," Susan commented, turning slightly pale.

_"The reason I'm here, is to announce my decision to hold a martial arts tournament, called 'The Cell Games'. Catchy title, don't you agree? It will be held 13 days from today, 28 miles northeast of East City. There you will find an arena, which I myself designed. Bring me your best fighters and I will face them one by one, not resting between matches. You would be wise to use this to your advantage, because if I win, Earth will be destroyed. Any 'tourists' currently on this doomed planet are hereby warned that staying is at their own peril. I will____ graciously_ allow them to leave, though I do hope they can find the courage to show up. It would certainly make things more amusing."

Whispers rose amongst the Voyager crew, but Captain Janeway quickly motioned them to be quiet until the android was finished.

_"The rules are simple: if you give up or your body touches the outside of the ring, you lose. And if you die, you will of course be disqualified."_

Cell chuckled evilly and pointed the palm of his hand at a wall.

_"Before I bid you goodbye, here's a little taste of what you're up against."_

The android fired a ki-blast from his hand, which went through the wall and obliterated everything in it's path, ending in a devastating explosion that destroyed a nearby mountain range.

_"Good luck!"_ he laughed, before flying through the exit he had just created. After that, the screen only showed static.

Everyone stared at the monitor with wide eyes, the Briefing Room so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Imagine the amount of near-fatal heart attacks when Goku suddenly appeared next to the Captain.

"Hey Guys! What did I miss?"

"Cell was just on TV!" Gohan exclaimed. "He told us that…"

"I know," the Saiyan said, a little more serious this time. "I just went to see him and check out his power"

"And… you think you can beat him?"

"At my current level, I don't stand a chance," he said sheepishly. "I was planning on using the Hyperbolic Time chamber, but then I ended up on Voyager and after that… well… I'm sure we'd all rather not go there"

Several crewmember nodded, still trying to forget about the Borg and their terrifying Queen. They hadn't shown themselves since the destruction of her ship, and everyone hoped things would stay that way.

"Anyway, I'm going to spend some time in there first and then I'll have another look at my odds," he turned to his son. "Gohan, you and Piccolo have only been in the chamber for one day, right? Would you like to use your remaining 24 hours training with your old man?"

"You bet!" Gohan grinned widely. He had missed his father greatly and there were things his old sensei just couldn't teach him.

"Okay then," Goku smiled. "But go help your mother first, I think she fainted"

As his son hurried away, the Saiyan turned to Captain Janeway.

"Captain, is there a place were we can speak in private?"

Janeway had a feeling what this was about, and she did not like the tone of his voice at all.

"You found her, didn't you?"

He nodded grimly and she sighed.

"In my Ready Room…"


	49. A dangerous mind

**A/N:** Ugh… this chapter took me FOREVER! A very important character is introduced here and I didn't want to screw it up… Voyager fans will probably be quite surprised to see her again. Remember though: this story is _very_ AU and she might not turn out to be the sweet and innocent girl we all knew and loved…

For those of you who are new to Star Trek Voyager or just want to brush up on their knowledge, here's a great website that I found:

**www (dot) star-trek-voyager (dot) fsnet (dot) co (dot) uk**

The **co** is no typo. Make sure you type **co** and not **com**. It has summaries and screenshots of each and every episode, information about the crew and data on most races. It's my ultimate reference bible!

P.S. Very sleepy... may have missed a typo or two, but couldn't wait to upload it ;)

* * *

**Chapter 49: ****A dangerous mind**

"So, it's true then… he will not harm Voyager?"

The Captain looked at the Saiyan, already knowing what his answer would be.

"Until the Cell Games, but after that…" Goku trailed off, a stern look on his face. "Captain, with all due respect, you do not belong here. You shouldn't get involved in this! Use the Dragon…"

"No," she cut him off grimly. "It's too late for that, we're already involved and I'm not about to bail out at the cost of millions of lives."

Rubbing her temples, she walked over to the replicator.

"Coffee, black"

Sipping her steaming drink, she gazed out the window. Goku got up from his seat and stood next to her. Outside, they saw most of the Voyager crew sitting by the pool. Susan and Lara were splashing each other with water, though the fun quickly ended when they accidentally soaked a certain Vulcan Chief of Security. A wry smile tugged on her lips.

"I wish there was another way, but there isn't. Miss Bulma has already agreed to provide those who wish to leave the planet with a vessel, but if the worst comes to pass, I will go down with the ship."

"Captain, if everything goes well, we can wish Cell's victims back next year, you do not have to risk…"

"Oh yes, I do," she said grimly. "Think about it, Goku: Cell has killed millions, but even if he is destroyed, the death count will only continue to rise as long as those lives aren't restored."

She sighed when she saw the confused look on the Saiyan's face.

"_Children_, Goku. Just how many do you think have lost their parents? The lucky ones may find shelter, but the capacity of the orphanages and hospitals is simply not large enough to accommodate all. The majority will be forced to survive on the streets for an entire year! Even IF they are reunited with their parents after all that time, they might not be able to adapt to society again. And what about the ill and the elderly? Who will care for them? Who will work on the fields, keep the factories running, provide education, help those who did survive rebuild what is left of their homes? One person can be covered for. A hundred persons can be covered for. A couple of million, most certainly can not. It wouldn't do any good to just use one wish and ask for Voyager to be restored, since we need the other wish as well to re-open the inter-dimensional rift before we can leave. _Our_ Earth will survive another year without us, but _this_ Earth needs the people that Cell killed, _now_."

The Saiyan stayed quiet for a moment, seeming to ponder her words.

"We were so caught up trying to stop the killing, we never really thought of those who were left…" he admitted a bit shamefully. The Captain nodded and walked to the replicator again.

"Speaking of which… you said you met the future version of Lara. How is she?" Captain Janeway asked while ordering the device to produce another mug of coffee. During times like these, caffeine was really about the only thing that kept her somewhat sane.

"Captain… Saiyans have the ability to… read minds…" (A/N: he read Krillin's mind on Namek!)

"And?" Janeway pressed, not liking the look on Goku's face at all.

"Normal minds are calm, organized… hers was only chaos. I couldn't get through. I can't even tell if she's good or…well…"

The Captain finished her coffee, absentmindedly staring out the window. For minutes, she just stood there, not saying a word.

"Do you want me to get her? With my instant transmission…"

"No, if we rush things, we might frighten her," Janeway said. "Let her come to us..."

"Do you think she will?"

She looked inside her empty mug and sighed, not answering his question…

* * *

Cell stood on his arena, meditating under the stars. He smirked slightly, thinking back at he broadcast that, no doubt, was now being repeated over and over again on the evening news. Oh yes, he had quite some fun today. It had been a pity having to temporarily give up his favourite game of kill-the-humans, though something told him he would have plenty of amusement for the next thirteen days.

He looked around, and saw that he was still alone. That woman had the tendency to pop up at the most unusual times, mostly when he was least expecting it. Then again… maybe this time he would look for her. Maybe even catch the alien while she was asleep, surprising _her_ for a change. A particularly evil grin briefly appeared on his face as he sought out Mirai Lara's powerlevel and took off into the night sky…

Silently, the android touched down in front of an abandoned hotel. The pale moonlight illuminated his form, creating haunting shadows that danced on the empty streets of Ginger Town. Oh yes… he knew this building well.

The door creaked as he entered the lobby, ignoring the traces of destruction he had caused in his imperfect form. How fitting that, of all places, she had chosen this one to hide. He still remembered chasing the two sisters into the building, trapping them in the elevator where they would have met their demise, if it had not been for a certain Namek intervening with his plans.

'But now only one sister is left, isn't there?' Cell mused, careful not to make a sound as he flew up the staircase. 'I wonder what happened to the other one…'

The lights were off, but his highly advanced eyesight allowed him to see through the darkness. He hovered through the hallway, his feet not touching the floor and stopped in front of room 8472. He could sense Mirai Lara was in here and, judging by her powerlevel, vast asleep. Quietly, he opened the door and entered the room. She was lying in bed, tossing and turning, the covers fallen on the floor in a crumpled heap. Her forehead was covered in sweat beads and she mumbled something in a language he could not understand.

"Nightmares, my dear?" Cell said out loud, but frowned when she did not wake up. Slightly annoyed, he approached her sleeping form, intent on shaking the woman awake. He would not be ignored!

Determined, he took her shoulder, but suddenly everything turned dark and not even his advanced senses could help him see.

"What the…"

Cell felt his own breathing speed up, wild panic suddenly gripping his throat. She…he was floating into an endless void. Awestruck, the girl … android stared at the woman that was standing in his arena. She was dressed in a red, velvet bodysuit, that accentuated her figure quite nicely. Long, golden curls fell over her shoulders and framed her flawless face. Striking blue eyes met her pink… his magenta ones and a gentle, but sad smile graced her rosy lips.

She knew her… He knew her… which one was it?

"_Wait…"_

Those eyes… why didn't they leave her alone? It wasn't her fault! It wasn't his fault!

"_Wait!"_

She… he… they had to remember. But did they want to? Need to? Almost there… almost… never complete again…

"_Don't go!"_

Those cries… they weren't his… but who's were they then?

"_No!"_

Wait… he knew that voice…

"_I can'__t do this alone…"_

"… Lara?"

The blond woman suddenly turned to him, her gaze feeling like it could pierce through his very soul. He had seen her before… or rather… android 17 had… Memories tried to claw their way to the surface, but something suppressed them. She did not allow him to see.

"**This dream was not meant for ****you, Cell."**

Covered in cold sweat, the android jolted awake. He had dreamed… for the first time in his artificial existence, he had dreamed. But he didn't even remember falling asleep! He was paralyzed, the feeling of confusion still overwhelming him. The dream had not only taken him completely by surprise, it had not been his… it had belonged to _her_. Somehow… he had seen a flash of Mirai Lara's mind, even started a part of it but then slowly becoming his own person again. How could this have happened… How had they connected? Who was that strange, blond woman? What the hell was going on?!

"**Don't tell her."**

"What?" Cell blinked when he heard her voice inside his head. This was most unusual…

"**Just don't."**

"And why should I not?"

"**Because her attacks will feel like a butterfly's caress compared to mine."**

She wasn't lying, Cell instantly knew. He could not explain why, but this woman… this… entity… her aura it was beyond the definition of a powerlevel, not from this world and _demanding _respect without it's owner even having to speak.

"Who… WHAT are you?"

Though he could not see her, he knew she was smiling and it send shivers up his spine.

"**Call me… Kes."**


	50. Incomplete

**A/N: **ARGH!!! I'm so sorry for taking so long! I had a writersblock, but I'm over it now! I'll also be updating "DBV: Dragonball Virtual" sometime this month. Thanks to all of those who have stayed loyal to the fic and its procrastinating authoress! Love you all! XD

* * *

**Chapter 50: Incomplete**

The entity known as 'Kes' no longer spoke to him, though he knew better than to think she had left. He furrowed his brow: every time he put one piece of the puzzle in place, three more appeared that did not seem to fit anywhere at all.

Cell looked at Mirai Lara's sleeping form. Hidden in the shadows, he watched as her eyes snapped open and she jolted up, covered in cold sweat and breathing in quick, shallow gasps. It didn't take too long for the woman to realize that whatever demons chased her in her dreams, were no longer there. With a sigh, she placed her head in her hands and slowly put one bare foot on the floor.

Cell noticed that she wasn't wearing her bodysuit: instead, she was dressed in a light grey spaghetti strap top and matching, loose fitting shorts. Lara had neglected to close the curtains, the light of the moon illuminating her features and making the woman look even more pale than she already was. She grabbed a rectangular device from her nightstand and placed it against her neck, administering medication. She had done so before, he still remembered her threatening to faint and grabbing the so-called 'hypospray'.

_But it__'s bad for her…_

The android blinked when he accessed knowledge he never even knew he had. Another fleeting memory that, again, wasn't his own. It felt like there was a whole book of knowledge on the tip of his tongue, or a paper thin wall separating him from her mind. How did he know? How had they connected? He hadn't absorbed her!

The woman was standing with her back to him, staring out the window. Under the light of the full moon, his eye fell on a scratch on her left leg and suddenly it hit him. He _had_ absorbed her…

_Flashback:_

"_KIHOUHOU!" Tien shouted as he fired his last bit of energy at the enraged bioandroid who was trying to get out of the hole. Unfortunately, the blast was too weak to smash him back down again. Growling, Cell swatted it away and continued his ascend. Tien groaned as he tried to power up another blast, but he had used up every bit of strength he had. His vision became blurry and with a last groan, he plummeted to the ground. Cell flew towards the fallen warrior and landed by his side with a soft 'thud'. He looked down in disgust and kicked him in his back, sending him skidding across the street. Tien landed flat on his back, unable to move._

"_I can't believe a weakling such as yourself was actually able to delay me from achieving my perfect form," he snarled as he grabbed Tien's neck and hoisted him up so they were at eye-level._

"_I already have everything I need from you in my system," he stated as Tien struggled for air. "However, I had to spend a lot of valuable energy to get out of your little trap and I think it's only fair that you repay me, don't you agree?"_

_He smirked cruelly as he slowly poised his tail, making sure that the helpless warrior could see it coming. Cackling evilly, he shot out the deadly syringe towards Tien's chest, but in a blur of pink, his target disappeared. Confused, he looked at his own tail and noticed that a small piece of white fabric with a few droplets of blood on it, was stuck on the tip of the needle. A small groan caught his attention. Frowning, he looked up and his eyes widened at the sight of Tien and his rescuer._

_There she was: Mirai Lara. Floating a few meters above him, holding the injured warrior in her arms. She was glaring daggers at him and he suddenly noticed why; the fabric was a part of her bodysuit. The tip of his tail had grazed her left leg when she swooped down to grab his prey._

Cell's eyes widened slightly. That had to be it: he had failed to absorb the woman entirely, but he _had_ stolen a few drops of blood. An incomplete merger…

This had never happened before. None of his victims had ever managed to escape in the middle of being absorbed. Yes, there was that time when he had only absorbed Piccolo's arm, but the Namek was already a part of his design. However, the Uranian was not, and so there was no telling what the consequences might be… if he did not finish what he had started.

As if on cue, Lara suddenly turned around and spoke to him.

"You had better not be planning what I think you're planning, because you're twelve days ahead of schedule."

"I wouldn't dare… yet," the android smirked while stepping out of the shadows, hiding his surprise. The woman's senses were much more keen than he had thought.

"Why are you here, Cell?"

The question wasn't sarcastic, mocking or harsh. It was just a question, nothing more.

"I could ask you the same question, my dear," he said and she sighed, turning back to the window.

"I figured this was the last place you'd look for me."

"It's indeed an unlikely hideout, but fortunately you are quite bad at suppressing your powerlevel."

"Well… at least the humans leave me alone, not even the bravest of looters dare to return to this place. I guess their fear is justified."

Cell couldn't help but grin when he heard the hint of sarcasm in her voice. The woman had a dark and rather morbid sense of humor which he found quite amusing.

"And you're not afraid, my dear?"

She stayed silent for a moment and looked over her shoulder, staring at him with empty eyes.

"I don't fear you."

Cell laughed mockingly at this and approached the Uranian with slow steps.

"I'm finding that hard to believe."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? The way you eyed me back in Cinnamon town, the way you backed off at the slightest movement from my side. Face it, my dear, even now at this very moment, you would like nothing more than to jump out this window and run."

"Survival instinct, Cell, nothing more. I do not fear you. I used to, but now I do not. I simply prefer you'd stay away from me. For your own sanity's sake …"

"You know I can't do that," the android said smoothly, brushing a strand of pink hair out of her face. The woman didn't even flinch at the touch. He wasn't even sure she noticed. "You intrigue me, my dear, and I _will_ find out what you're so desperately trying to hide. Because you _are_ hiding something, aren't you?"

Faster than even he could see, she suddenly seized his wrist and gave him an intricate gaze.

"Some stories are better left untold."

She let go and her gaze turned into a sad one.

"If you are wise, you'd absorb me without taking my memories, but I know you better than that. I can only warn you and pray you'll change your mind before it's too late. Trust me Cell… there are things about me you really don't want to know."

The woman stepped onto the window ceil, her form casting haunting shadows on the bedroom floor.

"I have killed millions and will destroy billions more once the Cell Games have come to an end," the android snorted. "Men, women and children, I will spare not a living soul. What could possibly have happened in your timeline that is so horrible that it'd even _mildly_ disturb me?"

She turned around to face him. The look in her eyes… again, he could not recognize it. What was it? It was pain, and something… something else. Fear? Madness? Regret? He simply could not tell.

"Cell, are you happy now?"

He blinked. What kind of ridiculous question was that?

"I am the strongest being alive, and once the tournament is over, the whole universe will be mine to do with as I please. Of course I'm happy."

"Then don't ask," she whispered softly, reaching out with her right hand and briefly cupping his face before suddenly turning back and leaping out the window, leaving a very confused android in her wake. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he turned around and noticed that her bodysuit was still hanging over the backrest of a chair. She had yet to repair the hole in the left leg, reminding him of what had happened. A failed merger…

Incomplete…


	51. Musings of an android

**A/N:** Oooh boy, this one is heavy on the angst… you have been warned!

* * *

**Chapter 51: Musings**** of an android**

"I still think this 'Vegeta' person should be send to the brig."

The Doctor huffed as he stood in Sickbay, surrounded by his friends, and inspected his holographic body. His emitter and program had been restored, but the same could not be said for his pride. Bulma's father looked sheepishly at him, scratching the back of his head.

"If you do that, there won't be much of a brig left after he's through with it. It takes a lot more than a level 10 forcefield to contain a Saiyan. My daughter will keep an eye on him, though… she's the only one who can."

Voyager's EMH sighed, but wisely decided to drop it. After spending some time with the Z-fighters, he knew that shoving Vegeta in the brig and asking him to stay there, was like trying to teach the Hirogen how to ballroom dance. Not going to happen, even if Gre'Thor _did_ freeze over.

"Speaking of Bulma," Susan turned to the Captain, "when were we supposed to see her and B'Elanna again? She said she had a surprise for us."

"Right now!"

Everyone jumped when the aqua-haired scientist barged in with a mischievous fox-like smile on her face, followed by Voyager's chief engineer… and a large figure in green armor, who prompted several gaps from the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the new and improved android 16!"

"ARGH!!!" a shriek came from the other side of the room, followed by the sound of someone being whacked on the head.

"Lara, you dork!" Susan hissed embarrassed, elbowing her younger sister. "He's with us now, didn't I tell you?"

"Really? Oh yeah, now I remember…"

The older Uranian sighed and muttered something under her breath.

"It is true, I have no more desire to follow my original programming," the giant nodded and smiled at the Captain, who still eyed him warily. However, all doubts about the silent android were taken away when her eyes fell on his chest.

"I hope you don't mind Captain," B'Elanna said when she saw the surprised look on her face, "but 16 asked us to make a slight… change to his attire. Maybe I should've consulted with you first, but…"

"No, B'Elanna," Captain Janeway interrupted, a grin spreading across her face. "I think it suits him rather well."

Everyone smiled when they saw that the old Red Ribbon logo had been removed from his armor… and replaced by the official Starfleet insignia.

"Not only did we get the Doctor back, we even made ourselves a new friend," Neelix stated cheerily. "I say this calls for an celebration!"

"Well, Goku and Gohan are emerging from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber tomorrow morning," Chi Chi said. "I was planning on throwing my son a surprise birthday party that day…"

"We'll combine it and hold the party in the messhall!" the Talaxian suggested. "There's plenty of room for everyone, and I know a mouthwatering recipe for a 7-layer Jimbalian fudge cake with icing made of pureed l'maki nuts, that will satisfy even the pickiest teenager!"

"Trust me, when you're cooking for a demi-Saiyan, flavor is the _last_ thing you need to worry about," she shook her head, exchanging a knowing glance with Bulma. They both knew that even a 70-layer cake was most likely not going to cut it. Janeway also vividly remembered the boy's father's eating habits and made a mental note to reroute all auxiliary power to the replicators. It would be worth it, though… Cell's broadcast had left everyone feeling on edge and a little distraction to boost morale, was more than welcome.

Of course… some people needed it more than others. And by 'some people', she meant herself. The Captain tried to stay strong for the crew, putting on a fake smile and telling everyone that 'it was going to be okay'. However… something kept gnawing at the back of her mind, the knowledge that somewhere out there… the proof that things would NOT always be alright, was wandering one of the many empty streets, only a fleeting shadow of the carefree girl she once used to be.

"Lara…" she mumbled absentmindedly, moving away from the others and gazing out the window. Darkness was beginning to set in, the first stars already visible. It had been a long time since she had just _looked_ at them in marvel, instead of scanning and analyzing them to the point where all the beauty that was their mystery, faded into the nothingness of readings and charts.

Later that night, the Captain was lying in her bed, wide awake and staring at the ceiling of her quarters. Thoughts raced through her mind, refusing to leave her alone. What had happened? What was she trying to prevent? The Borg perhaps? An image of the Borg Queen flashed before her eyes and she shuddered.

No… Mirai Lara's shield protected them. Besides that, the Collective had been weakened, their Queen and all her ships in this dimension destroyed. But… alone in the quiet of the night… she could still hear them. Fleeting whispers, incomprehensible and easily mistaken for figments of her own imagination. But she knew they weren't… A link with the Hive Mind was formed and not even the Eternal Dragon had been able to erase it. They were still out there… _she_ was still out there… ever waiting and patiently biding her time…

'Soon…' they quietly sang to her on the verge of wake and sleep.

'Soon…' Janeway silently answered, her consciousness drifting away.

_Soon…_

* * *

Stunned, the android stared at Mirai Lara's disappearing form until it was out of sight. Should he follow her? Did he even dare? Cell had been afraid before, when Vegeta threatened to destroy him, but the kind of fear he felt now was… different. As if he was on the verge of opening Pandora's Box and not sure whether to go through with it. This wasn't the kind of terror one felt from imminent danger; it was more of a foreboding kind and it made his skin crawl.

Then again… were these emotions his… or hers? Had he simply been sensing her own anxiety? There really was no way to tell.

"Kes…" he spoke aloud, ashamed by the slight shake in his voice.

"Kes!" He called again, louder this time. "Speak to me, you cursed spirit! Who are you? What are you?!"

No response, though he had not really expected one. Kes was obviously somehow connected to Lara, perhaps watching over her. However, she was apparently unable to detach herself from the Uranian, and only able to communicate with him while they were close.

_Ocampa… __Kes was an Ocampa… Saved from a race called the Kazon by Voyager. Extremely gifted, her race's mental abilities were far beyond those of the Uranians, but offset by their extremely short lifespan, which was only nine years… She had been one of the very few lucky ones in her timeline to die of old age._

Cell stumbled backwards, startled when another surge of information suddenly entered his mind. He had only absorbed the Uranian partly, his system unable to properly select and integrate the chaotic bits and pieces it was tossed. If he would not finish absorbing the woman soon, he would certainly go mad!

No… no, he wouldn't do it. Not yet. He was stronger than that. He had become perfection itself and would not stoop as low as to give in to these primitive traces of his imperfect form's mindset. He was in control, and he would keep his word, if only to relish the look of despair on her face as the date of her demise drew near. Physical torture, he rarely engaged in. But mental torture? Ahh… it made victory taste ever more sweet. Being a hunter, he was quite fond of toying with his prey, leading them on to believe they had a chance to survive, only to shatter their hopes at the very last second as he struck with lighting speed and drained them of their essence.

_Incomplete…_

Cell grabbed his head and shut his eyes, trying to create order in the torrent of chaos that were his thoughts. Which memories were his and which memories were hers? Argh! Why couldn't he focus?!

The android cast an angry glance at the damaged bodysuit draped over the chair. With a snarl, he fired a ki-blast and incinerated it, not really sure why. Doubt kept taunting his troubled mind. Should he speak with her? The android scowled at his reflection in the window. He was acting ridiculous! She was merely another prey, only alive for his own amusement! An entertaining little puzzle that he would delight in piecing together… and then taking apart.

On second thought…to say she was merely another prey… was really a blatant lie. Though he considered most of his victims nothing but cowardly and faceless cattle who's names weren't worth the effort to remember, he knew that she was one of the few unique individuals who would continue to haunt him long after they had met their fate at his hands.

Cell blew up the window and flew outside, landing on the roof terrace of the hotel, continuing his musings under the night sky.

In his imperfect form, he had learned quite a lot about humanity from listening in on conversations, while waiting for the right opportunity to strike. One thing all males seemed to agree on, was that women were enigmas. Apparently this was universal amongst females, alien or not. Then again, both genders had managed to surprise him on occasion. Self sacrifice, amongst other things, still baffled him.

It was only logical to protect ones offspring in order to safeguard the passing down of their genes, and he could also imagine saving women before men. Primitive survival instincts, nothing more. When their numbers went down and humanity needed to repopulate the Earth, it was better to have nine females and one male, than the other way around. But sometimes… sometimes… one of his victims would do something so…so…odd… that it simply was beyond his comprehension.

He had seen young and healthy children defending their aged and crippled parents, a pregnant girl bravely trying to draw his attention away from her unconscious boyfriend, two brothers risking their own lives to save their sister, whom he later learned through absorption, had been barren and unable to continue the family line. They were one of the few unique ones… that still puzzled him to no end… and who's faces his mind kept failing to erase.

Perhaps even stranger than the act of giving up one's life to save another, though, was the complete lack of self-preservation instinct in some of his victims. One of his earlier memories popped up again: the young man in the hospital, sitting next to the lifeless body of a little girl whom Cell guessed was his daughter. He had been the first human he encountered who had simply refused to fight or flee, too occupied with mourning to even properly acknowledge his presence. This type of behavior had been new to him at the time, and annoyed as he was with it, the android had not bothered to absorb his memories. There had been others, though, and because curiosity had gotten the best of him, he eventually learned that love and grief were the main causes of their odd behavior.

Grief, the bio-android understood perfectly. When he first learned that Trunks had destroyed the androids in his own timeline, Cell felt like a part of him had died as well. In fact, had it not been for the young boy's time machine and the new hope it offered, he would surely have gone insane. If that intense feeling of loss was anything close to what those suicidal humans had been experiencing, he could somewhat… comprehend their motives.

Which didn't mean he would stop thinking of them as blithering fools…

However, the other emotion that had driven some humans beyond the brink of insanity, he had yet to experience.

Love.

He hadn't given the subject much thought in the beginning, but now that he was alone with nothing to fight or destroy, his mind couldn't help but return to the matter. Love… whatever it was… could increase the strength of an average human at an alarming rate. Yet, it was their greatest weakness, causing them to make rash decisions they very well knew would be their last.

What was it? What was it about this emotion called 'love' that compelled them to disregard their own wellbeing and _willingly_ run into the arms of death? What was it about love that made_…__her…_ do such a thing? Just so her sister would live?

… or did she perhaps have a darker reason to agree with his proposal?

He would not admit it to a single living soul… but if only for a brief moment, the android was not sure he still wanted to know.


	52. One night

**A/N: **This story was loooong overdue for an update, so here you have it! I want to thank all my loyal readers (and reviewers, of course) for sticking with me for so long. There won't be another 50 chapters, but the biggest plot twists have yet to come. One of them, I highly doubt anyone will be able to guess ;)

**P.S.: **I was a bit inspired by the "Danny Phantom" episode: "The Ultimate Enemy" when writing the part about the dome.

Best. Episode. Ever.

* * *

**Chapter 52: One night**

"I am the Captain of this…"

"It might be your ship in space, but this is my domain now and your constant pacing up and down is distracting me. Out! Out! Out!"

Before she even knew what was going on, Captain Janeway found herself standing outside the messhall, which had been taken over by Chi Chi and Neelix. Though not one to be pushed around, the Captain knew better than to disturb the warrior woman while preparing for the festivities.

"She kicked you out, huh?" Goku asked with a sheepish grin. He and Gohan had emerged from the Hyperbolic Time chamber a few hours ago and the young boy had gone off with Naomi and Icheb to the Holodeck.

"It would appear so," she sighed, no longer startled when he used instant transmission to pop up next to her. "I have successfully fended off numerous invasions of whole armies trying to seize Voyager. Yet, none of them are quite as… persuasive as your wife."

The Saiyan nodded, a smirk on his face. However, it faded when he took a closer look at his new friend.

"Is something wrong, Captain?"

"B'Elanna came in with her report on the parts of those explosive cars Susan took with her," she shook her head. "She was right: they are Hirogen."

"Is that bad?"

"When taking in the other results… it's a _disaster_."

Janeway turned to the confused Saiyan. There was something about him that just radiated trust. Though she hadn't known him for years like Chakotay or Tuvok, it strongly felt like she had. It must've been this powerful, yet gentle aura that made his friends and even some of his enemies trust him with their lives.

"I don't understand…"

"There were traces of… other types of material found in the sample. Vidiian, Talaxian, Malon, Kazon… and several others B'Elanna failed to identify. The slime was actually some kind of, how should I put this… 'battery' that drew electricity from the environment and converted it into a power source for the vehicle."

"That would explain why the bomb cars stop functioning when taken outside the city."

"Yes," she nodded grimly. "And it was made by 'Species 8472', the most complex organic beings known to man and extremely dangerous. Though we now have somewhat of a ceasefire, they are very paranoid and would never ally with anyone unless they'd feel _extremely_ threatened. The same goes for the others. The Vidiians are suffering from a rotting disease called 'The Phage' and will take any chance they get to use their highly advanced medical technology to steal your organs, whether your already dead or not. The Talaxians are a peaceful race and will rarely fight, let alone develop technology to do so. The Malon are too busy dumping their radioactive waste in other people's backyards to care about anything but their own planet, and the Kazon are little more than primitive space-travelling cavemen with matching social skills. The Hirogen themselves are hunters and see everyone else as their prey. Though we have persuaded them to use holographic simulations instead, they still see other species as inferior beings and it would take _a lot_ to make them swallow their pride. To make matters worse, we already know even the Q have been involved as well."

Her expression turned unusually dark, her eyes flashing with determination.

"Goku… _Something_ forced these unlikely allies to work together to build these strange car-like devices for Mirai Lara to use, and though I'm not sure I want to know, I won't rest until find out what it was."

"Should I…" he trailed off, not finishing the sentence.

"Yes," she nodded, answering his unspoken question. "Go get Mirai Lara. It might… unsettle her, but I think it's time we stop hiding and start taking some risks. Something tells me this galaxy is no longer the only one at stake."

"I'll see what I can… Uh oh."

"What is it?"

"Her power level!" the Saiyan exclaimed with a worried groan. "It's… I can hardy sense her! Even for Uranian standards her energy barely registers! This is not good…"

"What does that mean? Is she injured?"

"There's no time," Goku urged. "Tell your Doctor to get ready, I can't predict what condition she'll be in when I arrive."

With a flash, he was gone, leaving a puzzled Captain in his wake.

"Captain to Sickbay," she quickly tapped her combadge. "Medical emergency!"

* * *

"You found her just in time, Goku. A few hours later and…"

The Doctor didn't finish his sentence. He, Goku and the Captain looked at the unconscious Uranian lying on the biobed. She was dressed only in a grey spaghettistrap top and matching shorts.

"Any idea what happened to her?" Janeway asked, casting a worried glance at the woman's frail body.

"I believe our patient has fallen asleep during flight, suffering a rather nasty blow on impact with the streets," the Doctor answered while healing a large wound on the Uranian's temple. "That is the least of our worries, though."

"How so?" Goku asked, scratching his head.

"Not only is she malnourished and dehydrated, but for some reason, her neural pathways are degrading at an alarming rate. I don't know what is causing this, nor am I able to stop it. She was carrying a supply of hyposprays, some of them used. In a last ditch effort I tried one of them and successfully stabilized her condition. Unfortunately, whatever healing effect they are meaning to have, her body is growing resistant to it. Unless I can find a way to stop the neural degradation, she'll die in a few months. If not less."

"It'll be enough."

They all jumped when the woman's eyes snapped open and she spoke for the first time.

"Voyager…" she whispered, slowly floating up, ignoring the others in the room. "How long has it been since I… since… Oh, Kami…"

Suddenly, she seemed to notice that she was not alone. Her eyes widened when they fell on the Captain, a torrent of emotions flashing across her face.

"Hello, Lara," Janeway said softly, as if afraid that even raising her voice slightly would frighten the woman away.

The Uranian kept staring down at them and then suddenly, bolted away. The Captain had counted on this though, and Lara found her only exit blocked by a forcefield.

"NO!!!"

"Calm down, we don't want to hurt you!" the Doctor yelled, but Mirai Lara was a state of sheer panic and kept crashing into the shimmering veil, like a trapped bird trying to fly through a glass window. Seeing as she was about to seriously harm herself, Goku flew up and wrapped his arms around the woman, forcing her back to the ground.

"We just want to talk!" he said, but upon hearing his voice, her pupils turned to pinpricks and she started shrieking and trashing violently in his hold. Her wild eyes glowed red and with a loud howl, the Saiyan grabbed his head in agony.

"YOU WON'T ASSIMILATE ME!!!" she shrieked, and suddenly, the penny dropped for the older male. He had been transported to Voyager while still ill. If Lara _had_ seen him again in her timeline, it could only have been in the shape of Kakkarot of Borg. The Uranian had just woken up, was highly unstable and his voice had been enough to trigger some rather unpleasant flashbacks.

"I'm not one of them!" he groaned, trying not to scream from pain. "Not anymore! Your plan worked!"

"…plan?"

The woman seemed to calm down somewhat upon hearing this and the hot pokers that were stuck in his brain seemed to melt away.

"Yes, I was wished back! Everyone on Voyager was."

"…whished…"

"Sense my emotions, or my intentions. I'm not hostile. None of us are! Focus, Lara!"

"I can't stay here…" she suddenly whispered, not a trace of her panic attack left, only fatigue. Lara sighed and slumped down on the floor.

The alien looked at Janeway and something seemed to register in her mind. A tear rolled over her cheek. Then another. Then another. The older woman kneeled down and hugged her, knowing that Lara had finally came to her senses.

"We need to talk," she said to the trembling Uranian. "What happened in your timeline? What happened to you?"

"I'm sorry… but I can't…" the woman whispered quietly, like a frightened child in its mother's arms. In a way, she was. On Urania, children were raised by their biological parents, but it was not uncommon for them to develop a similar deep bond with other adults even up until early adolescence. The loss of a third or even fourth or fifth parent was just as painful for them as the loss of a biological one.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll hate me."

"You know I won't," the Captain chided.

"I didn't mean to…"

Janeway sighed while holding the sobbing alien. She should've fainted from stress long ago, but for some reason she didn't and something told the Captain that her degrading neural pathways had something to do with it. But were they a symptom or a cause? Janeway only knew one thing: Uranians had a failsafe that caused them to lose consciousness to protect the brain from high levels of pain and stress. And an unknown event had caused Lara's failsafe to give out… with dire consequences.

"I've gone mad, Captain," she confirmed her unspoken suspicions. "I'm dangerous to be around. Please let me leave… Please…"

"You're dying, Lara," Goku said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "And of natural causes… which means we can't whish you back once you're gone. Whatever burdens you carry now, you shouldn't take them with you."

The woman slowly looked up, staring straight in the Saiyans warm eyes. A smile appeared on her face, her cold aura fading away.

"Vegeta…" she started. "He always used to say that things would be different if you had survived."

"_Vegeta_ said that?" his eyes widened.

"Yeah… I know what you're thinking, but a lover's demise can… do things to a person."

"Bulma…"

The Uranian cast her eyes to the floor.

"When the Borg attacked CC… she never made it out of the compound. The Borg assimilated her and Vegeta… he was forced to… end her suffering. A broken man, he has never been the same since, no longer caring about battle and growing madly obsessed with what remained of his wife's technological empire. While the others fought to the teeth to fend off the Borg invasion, he refused to eat, refused to sleep and lived in the dark shadows of her laboratory, eventually developing a multiphasic shield that those bastards couldn't penetrate. He installed shield emitters throughout West City, making it the only safe haven on planet Earth from those cursed drones. When his work was done, he ignored everyone's warnings and left the safety of the Borg-proof dome for Namek to wish his wife back. He was never seen again…"

"Vegeta…" the Saiyan whispered in disbelieve, looking at Lara in horror. To have kill your own mate…

"We lost many people the day the Borg invaded… and many more before Vegeta successfully installed the dome. Even after that… the shield was only large enough to protect West city, there wasn't enough power to expand it to the surrounding areas. While we safely lying in our beds, the Borg drones spread like an oil stain, leaving the rest of Planet Earth an assimilated wasteland."

"What happened to Cell? Was he assimilated too?"

Suddenly, her expression hardened, her aura cold as ice. She had closed up and there was no telling when, or even if, she'd start talking again.

"I'd… prefer not to discuss him."

"Why not?" the Doctor asked, but she shot him an angry glare.

"None of your business," she snapped, getting back on her feet, but collapsing almost immediately again.

"How many hours of sleep did you get?" the hologram asked sternly.

"Plenty."

"I'm sure you had," he stated dryly when she slowly got up again, her legs still wobbly. "You're exhausted! Walking around like this will only aggravate your condition. I suggest you stay on Voyager at least for the night and get some food and rest, before you fly off and leave us all to wonder again."

"I have to go," the Uranian protested, but Captain Janeway put a hand on her shoulder.

"One night, Lara," she tried to tempt her. "There is a party tonight in the messhall, so the rest of the ship will be quiet. I'll arrange for some quarters, a replicator and a set of clothes. You are free to leave if you want to, but I urge you to stay and regain some of your strength."

"No forcefields? You won't make me see anyone?"

"No tricks," the Captain nodded.

"You're setting yourself up for disappointment. I know you're hoping I'll tell everything that happened, but some things I'd best keep to myself. I probably won't even be here in the morning when you wake up."

"That's your decision to make. I do hope you'll open up and tell us what happened, but I won't force you. I just want you to eat something and get some sleep while the Doctor keeps looking for a cure."

"That won't be necessary," she smiled sadly, puzzling them, "but I suppose I could use some rest."

Promptly, her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out on the floor. Janeway cast a worried look at the woman before calling for a transport.

'Not necessary…? What did she mean by that?'

* * *

'Interesting…'

Outside, the android stood quietly in the shadow of a tree, near Voyager's sickbay. He had felt Lara's powerlevel drop, then disappear and reappear here. Curious, he had gone to investigate. His advanced hearing allowed him to hear their conversation even through Voyager's thick hull. He had also sensed her emotions, though not on purpose. Until he fully absorbed the alien, these powers would remain very difficult to control.

What their ship's doctor had said, strangely did not surprise him that much. The woman had looked far from healthy. Still, Lara's illness worried him for some reason. Something had caused her mind to slowly crumble apart, and he had the strange feeling his future self had something to do with it. No… he _knew _he had caused it. There was not a single shred of doubt. But how? The answer was lying on the tip of his tongue, but he failed to access that part of her memories.

He had injured her present self before, and even tried to kill the girl and her sister. Throughout their game of cat-and-mouse, she had seen plenty of death and destruction and yet the Uranian was still sane. There was only one other kind of traumatizing experience Cell could think of, and not even _he_ would stoop _that_ low. So, violence didn't cut it and neither did death. Crossing those two off the list, what could possibly have happened between them that caused her to snap?

The android traced her powerlevel to one of the crew quarters, and looked through the window at the sleeping woman.

He would not rest until he found out...


	53. Forbidden ground

**A/N:** The story is moving fast! Besides adding new chapters, I also have plans to rewrite some of the older ones. My writing has improved since I started this story in 2004. This was my first fanfic and I my English was flawed, to say at least. I still have a lot to learn, so keep that feedback coming! Or in other words: read and review!

**P.S:** Yes, this chapter too was inspired by Danny Phantom episode: The Ultimate Enemy. Go watch it!

* * *

**Chapter**** 53: Forbidden grounds**

Like a thief in the night, Cell entered the damaged vessel through a large hole in its hull. He could've easily blasted his way into Mirai Lara's quarters, but he did not want to draw any attention from the Z-fighters or the Voyager crew. Though he usually enjoyed causing panic and chaos, this was neither the time or the place for that. He did not wish to reveal his presence and cause the woman to flee.

"Come on, Susan! We're gonna be late!"

Oh no… He had thought everyone would be at the party by now! He could not allow himself to be seen!

Cell quickly jumped up and clung to the ceiling before Lara's present self rounded the corner.

"I'm coming! I'm coming! Sjeesh!"

The blue haired Uranian followed her younger sister while trying to somewhat straighten her hair.

"You're really too vain, you know," Lara laughed as her older sister got a can of hairspray out of nowhere and locked a few stubborn strands in position.

"Hey, my vanity did save our lives in Ginger town, remember?" she smirked, twirling the can as if it was a weapon.

"Oh yeah, that was awesome!" Lara laughed. "Do you remember the look on his face?"

Susan snickered, much to Cell's annoyance. He still remembered the incident as well.

"We lucked out though," Susan said and her expression fell. "If Piccolo had not found us…"

"I'm still trying to forget," Lara shuddered. "But you know what's weird?"

"What?"

"If I had the chance to change history and stop us from taking the Flyer, I still think I would've done it."

"You would go through it again?"

"Yeah… I think I would. This dimension is terrifying, but also amazing. The Z-fighters, the technology, the adventure… I'm kinda glad I got to see it, even if we never get out of here alive."

"I know what you mean," Susan smiled, then sighed and hung her head.

"You're thinking of him, aren't you? Android 17?"

The Uranian flushed bright red, looking at her sister with wide eyes.

"I… uh… I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Lara grinned mischievously, nudging her sister in the side.

"Give it up Susan, you suck at hiding your emotions."

"Sorry… You must think I'm an idiot."

"Well, yeah… but hey, you can't choose who you fall in love with. And he_ was_ kinda cute!"

"Not that it matters anymore…"

"Sure it does!" Lara objected, getting into a fighting stance. "Look, after the party is over, we go to the holodeck, learn some kickass Klingon martial arts, whoop Cell's butt, wish 17 back and then he'll be so grateful that he'll fall madly in love with you! It's foolproof!"

Susan looked at her younger sister and started laughing.

"Do you remember the _last_ time you tried to fight holographic Klingons?"

"That's not fair! They cheated!"

"I bet they did," Susan snickered, walking further down the corridor, her protesting sister following along. Cell waited patiently until they were out of sight and then silently dropped back to the floor.

"Fools…" he snorted. "They should be grateful I decided to spare their pitiful lives for now."

Refocusing on Mirai Lara's powerlevel, he made his way through the vessel until he had reached her quarters. Making sure to keep his own ki well below detection level, he shot a small laser beam from his eyes, successfully disabling the locking mechanism on the door without leaving any visible marks.

Quietly, the android entered her quarters, closing the doors behind him so they would not be disturbed.

The woman was still sleeping, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took. She had exchanged her pajamas for a bronze colored bodysuit, without a helmet or any unnecessary fringes. For a while he just stood there watching her breathe in a slow, even pace, not sure what to do or why he had even come.

"**Hello again,"** a familiar voice spoke.

"Greetings Kes," Cell affirmed, trying not to show his discomfort as he felt her going through his mind.

"**This… is an interesting development,"** she said as she found about the incomplete absorption and the strange effects it had on the android.** "Unfortunate, but interesting."**

"What memory of hers are you afraid I will unravel?"

"**You aren't ready,"** the Ocampa sighed.**"I doubt you ever will be."**

"I am an android, created by Dr. Gero," he protested smugly. "I have killed thousands if not millions and many more will perish once my tournament has come to an end. What could possibly have happened that would disturb me?"

"**This is exactly the reason you will never be able to understand, Cell,"** the woman smiled sadly. **"You immediately think of death and destruction. Has it never occurred to you that it might have been something else?"**

"Like what? You are talking nonsense, woman!"

"**If you cannot even come to a conclusion yourself, it will not matter if I tell you. You would simply not understand."**

"If the answer is so blatantly obvious," the android seethed, "then show me! Because one way or another… I will find out what happened!"

"**I know…"**

Suddenly, his head became heavy and the room started spinning around him. Cell reached out, but he fell to the floor and everything turned black.

* * *

'What… where am I?' 

Cell opened his eyes and was met with a desolate wasteland, littered with debris and bodies. Ahead there was a shimmering dome that covered West City, which was thriving and bustling with life. He flew closer and entered the dome without meeting any resistance. He suddenly spotted a pink blur, which on closer inspection turned out to be a slightly older looking version of present Lara. Then again, Uranians aged slower so there was no way to tell how many years had passed.

The girl stopped mid-flight and tapped a small monitor on her wrist.

"Lara to Hercule," she called and a tired looking man with an eye patch, only one arm and the most peculiar hairdo appeared on the small screen.

"_Hercule here."_

"Shield emitters one through five are operating at full power."

"_Good work, Lara. Report back to base and…"_

Suddenly, the man was replaced with static and a pair of blue eyes appeared on screen, the rest of the face hidden in the shadows.

"_Hello Lara,"_ a mechanical, yet strangely seductive voice spoke.

"Not again!" the woman growled. "Look, I don't care how many you times you try to adapt! You can't break through the shield!"

"_Until today…"_

Suddenly, an explosion of green light blew her away, sending her crashing into the pavement. A chain reaction of explosions followed all over West City and the dome flickered out of existence.

"NO!!!"

Before the woman could react, a large ki-blast suddenly whizzed mere centimeters past her head. Looking up, Cell saw two people he had never thought he would see again.

"17! 18!" Lara yelled desperately at the twins. "Don't listen to the Collective! You're stronger than they are! I've seen you fighting them before! Don't give in! Let us help you! Break free!!!"

"We are Borg," they replied with a dead voice. "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Cell now noticed how their skin had turned grey and was covered with implants. They had lost their hair and instead of clothes with the Red Ribbon logo, they now wore body armor of an unknown alloy. Still, Cell recognized them. How… how had this happened?!

"Like hell will you assimilate me," Lara hissed and threw something that looked like a grenade at the android duo. It exploded in a blinding flash of light, giving her a brief window of opportunity to escape.

"I have to get back to base!" the woman panicked, flying through West City at breakneck speed. She entered a rundown laboratory that used to belong to Capsule Corporation and headed for the basement.

"Hercule!" she exclaimed at the bitter old man who was looking grimly at the security monitors. "Android 17 and 18 are here! That means _he_ can't be far behind! What do we do?! What do we…"

The floor started shaking and a series of explosions could be heard outside as drones started to flood the streets of West City, assimilating the defenseless population.

"Run!" he shouted at her, motioning with his remaining arm at the door. "Get out of here!"

"But…"

"That monster took my little girl and son in law away from me," the afro haired man growled, his eyes blazing with pain and rage. "As Earth's martial arts champion, I'll make that thing pay! Now go! Don't let him get his hands on you!"

Suddenly, the ceiling caved in and a tall figure came crashing down. As the dust cleared, Cell's eyes widened when he took a closer look… and discovered he was standing face to face with his future self.

He was still in his imperfect form and covered with small Borg implants. Though his body had been left nearly intact, it was obvious that his mind was no longer in control. The fact that he had yet to absorb the androids proved this: most likely The Collective preferred three relatively strong drones over a single, extremely powerful one. It made sense: after all, their goal was not to destroy, but to conquer, and what better way to do that than power in numbers?

"Resistance is futile," he heard himself rasp in his imperfect voice before the laboratory exploded and everything turned dark again.

* * *

"Cell… Cell… Wake up!" 

The android groggily opened his eyes and looked straight into those or Mirai Lara. He must've passed out at some point since he was lying on the floor, while the woman was patting his face. The flashbacks were getting more intense with every vision and they were starting to take their toll.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, her eyes cold and impassive.

"Visiting you, my dear," he tried to sound smugly.

"Cell, I found you out cold on my bedroom floor with your eyes glazed over. For a second I thought you were dead. Whatever you did, don't do it again."

_Worry,_Cell sensed to his surprise. He checked his internal clock: it was three in the morning. He had been out for six hours…

"What is wrong with you?" she asked, suspicion in her voice.

"I could ask you the same question, my dear," he quickly changed the subject. "I couldn't help but overhear you are ill, and terminal at that."

"It's none of your concern," she snapped. "My life expectancy is well over two weeks, you have nothing to worry about."

"I never said I was," the android scoffed. "But I am rather curious what my role was in causing your… unstable condition."

The words had left his mouth before he could stop them from slipping.

"I never said you had anything to do with it," she said, shock appearing on her face, followed by anger. "How did you know!?"

"I guessed," he answered, but the woman wasn't buying it.

"Don't give me any lame excuses, Cell," she growled threatening and he felt the beginning of a migraine throb in the back of his head. "Tell me the truth! How did you know?!"

He knew the woman would never relent until she had the answers she sought, and he was rather curious how she would react once she found out her secrets were unraveling themselves beyond her control. He stayed silent, just pointing at her leg, wondering if she would be able to connect the dots herself.

"My leg? What about it?"

"You don't remember? At all?"

"I remember you scraped me with that tail of yours," she glared at him. "But the Doctor healed…"

Her pupils turned into pinpricks and he knew the penny had dropped.

"How much…" she whispered, shakily leaning against a wall for support.

"A few drops of blood perhaps."

"How much… do you know?"

"Ah…_that's_ what you meant," he said, highly amused. "A desolated world, a city protected by a dome, and perhaps a few details about your dimension here and there."

He kept quiet about the embarrassing vision of his assimilated imperfect self. He had apparently been defeated by those creatures and he was not going to admit it. It did not matter, since it would never happen again. He would make sure of that. He also decided not to mention his new sensing abilities: if the woman knew he could tell her emotional state, she would no doubt try to shield it.

"I, for the life of it, cannot fathom why you are so concerned. In less than two weeks I will find out one way or another, so why not tell your little tale now? Come now, my dear," he taunted. "Do humor me."

"Perhaps…" she started, then wrapped her arms around her chest and looked away. "No… I won't risk it…"

The android wanted to retort, when he suddenly saw something sparkling from the corner of his view. His eyes fell on her right hand, which was no longer covered by a white glove. Was that… was that a wedding ring?

"…_in memory of the people that accepted her as one of their own, I have been asked to perform a human ceremony…"_

Cell staggered backwards when another hazy vision clouded his mind. A small, rundown ship… an alien captain… Lara in a white gown… and a groom of who he could not get a clear view.

"Cell… hey! Stop zoning out!"

He was snapped out of it when Lara forcefully shook his shoulders. Still a bit dazed, he looked back at her.

"You were married?"

Time seemed to stop. Her eyes widened and her face turned ghastly pale as she started trembling like a leaf.

_Fear! Panic! Shame!_ Oh yes, he had definitely stumbled onto something.

"I… I…"

"Who was the lucky man, my dear?" he pressed on and something visibly snapped. Her eyes rolled back in her head and with a sigh, she went limp and collapsed.

"Curious," the android frowned, not because she had fainted, but because he had caught the woman without even realizing it.

Shaking his head, he shifted the unconscious alien in his arms and headed back for the opening in Voyager's hull, quietly disappearing into the night.

"I said I'd let you live for fourteen days," he spoke to her, though he knew she couldn't hear him. "But… I never said I'd leave you be."


	54. Sticks and stones

**A/N:** 54 chapters… man, this thing is growing large! I still have quite a few to go though! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys really help me keep working on this goliath :)

* * *

**Chapter 54: Sticks and stones**

Cell watched impassively as the woman opened her eyes and turned her head to him, blinking a few times as if making sure she wasn't dreaming. He had laid her down on the cold white marble tiles of his arena, waiting patiently for her to regain consciousness.

"Rise and shine, my dear," the android said while she slowly got up into a sitting position.

"How long was I…"

"Two hours, 16 minutes and 32…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get the idea," she groaned, massaging her temples. Then she suddenly looked up and narrowed her eyes at him, glaring coldly.

"I do not remember giving you permission to touch me."

"I do not remember needing it."

"Pervert."

The android frowned, slightly insulted by what the woman was implying.

"I assure you I am far above such human desires, Lara."

"That's the lamest pick-up line I ever heard," she snorted, but there was a mischievous glance in her eyes.

_Amusemen__t, M__elancholy, Regret_…

Cell sensed her emotions and shook his head. Her presence seemed to exaggerate his new powers, making them even harder to control. It was quite uncomfortable, but he could not let the woman know he had gained not only parts of her memory, but her senses as well. The woman would no doubt try to shield her emotions if she knew he could read them.

He looked up at the alien, who was eyeing him suspiciously. He decided to distract her by changing the subject.

"Who is this… 'Hercule'? His name is not registered in my database."

"Ah, that's right… He wasn't that well known yet when Dr. Gero programmed you," she nodded, then a grin spread across her face. "He's the most obnoxious, loudmouthed, pompous and arrogant ass you will ever meet. He's the official World Martial Arts champion, but in title only. He's strong for a human, but nowhere near the Z-fighters' level."

"You seemed rather fond of him in your timeline," the android cocked an eyebrow an she lowered her gaze.

"I was…" she mumbled, her eyes clouded. "When the Borg attacked… most of the planet population perished. Drones were beamed down by the thousands and people were caught completely off guard… The Z-fighters amongst them. History was changed when I asked you to destroy Capsule Corporation. Had I not intervened, you would have been assimilated and everything would've been over. In my timeline, they used you to get their hands on the rest of the Z-fighters. Piccolo… Krillin… Tien… one by one they fell. When the West City Dome was finally up and running, only me, Gohan and Vegeta were left. But eventually, the Borg got them as well… and I was alone, until Hercule found me and took me under his wing. The Borg had taken his daughter away from him and left him a bitter, but determined man. Vegeta was already gone and when Gohan and his wife were assimilated, Hercule stepped onto the plate as the leader of the Resistance and lead us in our fight to protect the last surviving city on Earth."

"Gohan and his _wife_? But the child is only…"

"Eleven?" Lara snorted. "You keep forgetting I age more than three times slower. I might only have looked a little older in your vision, but that unfortunate day when West City fell was ten years from now. Gohan and his wife were assimilated three years earlier, a few days after their wedding. Those bastards…"

_Anger! Rage! Hatred! Pain!!!_

"One thing I still fail to understand, my dear," Cell said quickly before the woman lost it again. "How did those creatures assimilate me? Even in my imperfect form, they wouldn't have stood a chance. Did they use Goku, perhaps?"

"The Borg aren't strong nor are they fast. But the Queen is cunning… very, very cunning. You underestimate her by thinking she would even _consider_ using Goku, her strongest drone, as cannon fodder."

"Then how?"

Lara stayed quiet, avoiding his eyes.

_Doubt, Reluctance…_

She was considering to tell him, carefully weighing her options. It annoyed Cell to no end.

"I'll find out eventually, Lara," he all but rolled his eyes.

"Then why do you even ask?!" she suddenly snapped, her eyes blazing. The woman sprung up and all the android could sense was…was… what was it? Despair? Hopelessness? No, it was something else… a specific kind of emotion he could not put his finger on.

"You keep asking me what happened, and drive me… Oh, who am I kidding? I'm already insane! But do you relent? Do you grant me my last days in peace? Do you ever give me a fucking break?! No, you have to KIDNAP me, drag me to this kamiforsaken place and keep prodding me until…"

"You're faking it."

The look on her face was priceless, but Cell had not intended to call her bluff. He had sensed it and before he knew, it had slipped. But he couldn't help it, he had been so utterly surprised!

"What… did you say?" she whispered with wide eyes and the android sighed, knowing he couldn't hide his new ability any longer.

"I gained your ability to sense other's emotions, or in your case: lack thereof. You acted angry, but you were not. Why?"

She just stood there, frozen. He could sense a brief spark of shame before he was locked out.

"Because it is better if a distance remains between us, Cell," she sighed. "If you know what's good for you, you'll let me leave, don't follow me and refrain from absorbing my memories once my time is up. I know you won't do the latter, so until now I attempted to at least limit our contact as much as possible. But I can't continue to…"

Lara let out another sigh and leaned against a pillar, slumping down on the white marble floor and pulling her legs to her chest.

"What can you not do, my dear?" Cell pressed on, still not quite used to the woman's unstable behavior. She was calm, collected and perhaps even a tad cheerful one minute, a trembling nervous wreck the next. It took very little to set her off.

"Don't call me that…" she muttered halfheartedly, not a trace of annoyance or irritation in her voice. It was as of all energy had been sucked out of her and he was talking to an automated puppet.

"How many days," she suddenly asked, looking at him with empty eyes.

"Until the Cell games?"

"Yes."

"Nine days, 18 hours, six minutes and 22 seconds," he answered after consulting his internal clock. "What will you do until then? Fight? Flee? Keep your precious distance? No matter where you go, no matter where you hide, I will find you." The android smirked at her. "You might as well stay here."

"Agreed."

Cell nearly fell over. Of all possible responses, he had not expected THAT one!

"But first I will need to get food, water and a thick blanket. Temperatures on this planet tend to drop rapidly at night and as an Uranian, I don't do well in cold."

"You… actually plan on staying?" he asked, his jaw almost dropping.

To his amazement, the woman nodded.

"Yes. I tried running, I tried hiding and I tried keeping my mouth shut, but all three plans have failed. You are too persistent and will never stop hunting me down and prodding me until I tell you what you want to hear. By staying in one place, at least I can put an end to the first. It will save both of us energy that could be spend on more important matters. Since I am tired of running, hiding and being woken up in the middle of the night by the occasional drunken human staggering through the streets, setting up camp at your arena seems to be the wisest move."

"Drunken humans?" Cell couldn't help but frown.

"Your doomsday broadcast seems to have brought out the worst in some of the planet's inhabitants. The cities are in chaos and even the once quiet, abandoned areas are crawling with bandits who keep trying to persuade me into helping their general Tao-what's-his-name build a dome of some sort. They were quite annoying and persistent, but I doubt they will follow me here."

"Such cold logic, my dear," Cell chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Is the point of your indifferent attitude to convince me of your boldness? Am I now supposed to believe you lack any feelings of dread? Are you not afraid?"

"I'm terrified, Cell," she said, her face still blank. "But not because of what you could possibly do to me now."

"Ah, those elusive memories of yours again, Am I correct?"

Lara nodded and closed her eyes for a moment, as if thinking of a plan.

"If it would get you off my back, I perhaps could tell you bits and pieces of my history," she finally said. "It would be far better if no one knew, but you will find out anyway and I believe I can trust you with keeping this information to yourself, since it is in your own best interest not to corrupt the Timeline. But a few parts of my story I will alter… and some things are better left unsaid."

"And if those 'secrets' of yours happen to unravel themselves in one of my visions?"

"You'll kill me where I stand. And I can only appeal to whatever honor you have as a warrior to do so without speaking a single word."

Cell was greatly confused by this. All this time… the woman had been so ridiculously paranoid because she was afraid he'd somehow hurt her _feelings!?_

"You would honestly prefer sticks and stones over words?" he asked, baffled.

"A thousand times and more," she said softly, her once cold eyes now looking at him pleadingly. "Do I have your word?"

The android didn't know what compelled him. He wasn't programmed with pity, compassion or even respect. But for some reason he found himself nodding, pledging a silent vow. The woman then did something even more peculiar, something he had not expected at all. The alien walked up to him and suddenly threw her arms around his neck, hugging the stunned android.

"Thank you," she whispered, briefly tightening her hold before letting go and flying towards the city in search of supplies.

This… was a most interesting turn of events indeed.


End file.
